


Burned Family

by kissxsleep



Series: Newmore Family [4]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Dammit I love bitties way too much :P, F/M, annnndd book three is here.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-29
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-09-13 01:57:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 127,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9101260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kissxsleep/pseuds/kissxsleep
Summary: While her sisters have made many great leaps in strides over the last year and half/two years, Nadia has been left in the dust to dwindle.It's her turn to grow now as more bitties come into her life and show her that there's more to bitty-human relations than the overly sweet side of things that her sisters have.





	1. Nadia Victoria Newmore

**Author's Note:**

> Full disclaimer:  
> Undertale belongs to Toby Fox
> 
> The Bitty Bone Au was created by @fucken-crybaby on tumblr, and the bittybone-au blog can be found at http://bittybones-au.tumblr.com/
> 
> Bloody Berry was created by Albatross Tech on deviant art. You can find him, other bitties, and more of Albatross Tech's art at http://albatrosstech.deviantart.com/
> 
> Brassy was created by Ammazolie. He and other yanbitties can be found at http://ammazolie.tumblr.com/
> 
> Blake was created by TheRedWolfGamer on deviant art and can be found at http://theredwolfgamer.deviantart.com/
> 
> Buttonberry was created by @buttontale on tumblr. You can find him and the button tale au at http://button-tale.tumblr.com/
> 
> Any Undyne and Alphys bitties that may or may not appear in this (depends on how outlines go) were created by SeptraGirl on deviant art and can be found at http://septragirl.deviantart.com/
> 
> GODDAMN that full disclaimer is always long *whew* (and seems to be ever growing) ANYWHOO! Nadia's turn!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Full disclaimer:  
> Undertale belongs to Toby Fox
> 
> The Bitty Bone Au was created by @fucken-crybaby on tumblr, and the bittybone-au blog can be found at http://bittybones-au.tumblr.com/
> 
> Bloody Berry was created by Albatross Tech on deviant art. You can find him, other bitties, and more of Albatross Tech's art at http://albatrosstech.deviantart.com/
> 
> Brassy was created by Ammazolie. He and other yanbitties can be found at http://ammazolie.tumblr.com/
> 
> Blake was created by TheRedWolfGamer on deviant art and can be found at http://theredwolfgamer.deviantart.com/
> 
> Buttonberry was created by @buttontale on tumblr. You can find him and the button tale au at http://button-tale.tumblr.com/
> 
> Any Undyne and Alphys bitties that may or may not appear in this (depends on how outlines go) were created by SeptraGirl on deviant art and can be found at http://septragirl.deviantart.com/
> 
> Fireroyal was created by @nsfwalphatalelioness and can be found at http://nsfwalphatalelioness.tumblr.com/post/152714745923/alphalioness-3-more-more-info-only-to-18
> 
> GODDAMN that full disclaimer is always long *whew* (and seems to be ever growing) ANYWHOO! Nadia's turn!

              _“You’ll be our little star.”_

Even when I was just a child, my parents always managed to sound more threatening than caring. Their oppressive rules and outlandish demands bled me down to a hollow husk that unhappily walked through life. Everything I did was for the betterment of _their_ reputation and the increase of _their_ profits. I understandably lost sight of myself and who I was for the longest time. Then an attempt to try and force my twin sister Josephine back into the family fold ended with me adopting a bitty.

              “MOTHER.” Cesar’s hand reached out towards the cooling spot where I had been resting earlier. He didn’t raise his head, but he did lean closer to the empty space on the bed, “MOTHER?”

              “I’m up Cesar.” I told my boss while staring at my reflection in the mirror.

              My little sister Olivia had encouraged Josephine and I to cut our hair before New Year’s as a symbolic gesture that our parents couldn’t control us anymore, but my body still reflected years of willing living under their thumb in an attempt to be loved. Disgusting stretch marks marred my otherwise smooth skin and reminded me of my mother’s comments when I became overweight. Almost two decades later, I still often believed that my scale was lying to me. There was no way I was that light while looking so bloated. Cesar insisted that I wasn’t bloated at all, but it was difficult for me to believe him.

              “YOU’RE GLARING AT YOUR REFLECTION AGAIN.” Cesar sat up in the bed. The silk sheets pooled around his waist, leaving his slightly chipped rib cage and arms bare. One of his eyes had the typical murky blackness in it that skeleton type bitties used to see, but the other had been “dried out” because of the pain it kept causing him. Cesar never told me how his eye became injured. He and I had been living together for almost a year at that point, and I still didn’t know too much about his past, “MOTHER?”

              “How is your eye feeling?” I forced my gaze away from the mirror. I still had two hours before I needed to be heading to work, so I didn’t feel particularly rushed. _~~You’d keep staring at your ugly reflection if you didn’t force yourself to look away.~~_ ~~~~

“THE SAME AS ALWAYS- SLIGHTLY SORE AND MORE THAN A LITTLE ANNOYING.” Cesar poked a finger into the hollow eye socket angrily, “I STILL REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT THEY ABSOLUTELY _HAD_ TO DRY OUT MY SOCKET.”

              “They said that your vision wouldn’t return.” The bitty techs also told me that his headaches would only get progressively worse if I left his eye the way it had been, “The pain is more manageable now right?”

              “I DESPISE NOT HAVING THE OTHER HALF OF MY VISION.” Cesar groused, climbing out of bed. Since it had been hot in the apartment, my 6 inch tall boss had opted to just go to sleep in some of the soft ‘underwear’ I bought him to wear as leisure clothes. Cesar stared at the clock and sighed, “WE SHOULD GET DRESSED AND EAT.”

              “That’s assuming the rats have left us anything to eat in the first place.” I offered my hands down to him. Cesar climbed onto them and allowed me to carry him to my dresser where his tiny “bitty dresser” was.

              “HAS THAT OLD PILE OF SHIT _STILL_ NOT CONTACTED PEST CONTROL?” Cesar began to look through his clothing for something he wanted to wear.

              “Not yet.” I ran a hand through my short hair and grabbed my glasses with the other hand, “They got into my box of contacts too…” I rarely wore my glasses because wearing them made me look more like Josephine, but I couldn’t exactly go to work blind, “We have a meeting to attend today.”

              “ALRIGHT.” Cesar nodded.

              _I wonder what my sisters are doing right now._

              Josephine was probably either still working on some project of hers, tending to Greyson, or just waking up with her fiancé Sans. Her bitties would more than likely cook her breakfast and shower her with affection all morning. She’d see her fiancé off with a kiss before taking care of Greyson and her bitties.

              Olivia was probably already running around getting ready. She and her best friend Papyrus needed to be up and ready early to open their restaurant after all. Her bitties would also shower her with affection and care. Her boyfriend, Asgore the King of the Underground, might even send her an early morning text.

              _And here you are coexisting with your bitty._

              Cesar and I didn’t really have what one would assume to be the typical bitty/human relationship. Neither of us were particularly affectionate unless we were depressed, and our relationship had mostly been built on mutual respect and understanding. We recognized each other’s flaws, weaknesses, virtues, and strength and worked to help make up for the other’s failings. Our relationship was far from perfect or sweet, but it fit our stiff personalities.

              Connecting with others on a genuine level had been difficult for me ever since I all but abandoned my twin to raise our younger sister on her own. Distracted by the hoops my parents wanted me to jump through blindfolded, the things that actually mattered in life passed me by. The seeds that would form the basic communication skills I would need as I grew older never got watered in the dry wasteland that was my parents’ “love”. Instead, I struggled for every drop of praise like it was liquid ambrosia and killed off the parts of myself that could have dragged me out of the hole being dug around me. Yes, the hole dug around me. Not the hole I dug myself. That would imply that I had possessed enough self-awareness and individuality to dig my own grave, but my grandmother never seemed to be willing to acknowledge the metal hooks buried into my wrists and ankles my parents used to guide me through the life they had planned for me in the backs of their mind when they were still just barely upper class.

              How does a husk on strings learn to walk on its own?

              “MOTHER.” Cesar tied his black tie with an expert hand, “YOUR PHONE LIGHT IS BLINKING.”

              I looked away from my mirror to check. Sure enough, the little green light flickered obnoxiously calling for me to look at it.

              “Thank you Cesar.” I put down my eyeliner and walked over to the phone, buttoning up my shirt as I walked.

              The simple phone was quick to show me the latest update Olivia had posted.

              **LivvyBooBear:** OMG I cannot believe I 4got to post this last nite! Look at the adawable bebe Greyson!

              The image of my younger sister holding my nephew- _~~the son you gave up because you’re a pathetic piece of garbage that deserves to burn in the hell you’ve been dragged into~~_ \- made my heart ache due to reasons I wouldn’t let my mind address. _I never would’ve been what he needed. I can barely take care of Cesar most days._

              “IS IT ANYTHING IMPORTANT MOTHER?” Cesar asked, tossing me a creamy white tie.

              “No.” I also had a few text messages from a couple of my more obnoxious coworkers, but they were really irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

              I honestly wished that most of them would realize that I refused to be the stereotypical woman in the workplace. My parents had reared me to be more cutthroat than a shark and more vicious than a piranha. Friends meant nothing in the world of business unless they had money and power- two things that these little pests lacked. Years of living in the outline my parents created for me left me with scars, yes, but at least the damn thing gave me a spine and suit of armor to face the world with. It also came with a title that was both a pain in the ass to live up to and a blessing to have.

              Nadia Victoria Newmore, one of the most dangerous, wily, and successful businesswomen in the entire world. As the former CEO of the then dead sister company to the Newmore company, I had built up a reputation for bringing some of the most powerful people to their knees before me. Threats meant little. Bribes got people nowhere. They all caved under my foot and writhed in agony as I drained them of the one thing that business ran on- money.

              _I never played dirty though- at least on a business front._

              My parents convinced me that media perception mattered, so I did cover my family’s ass on more than one occasion, but in the office I was probably the most honest person in the building. A company built on shady business practices and lies always crumbled when its cracked foundations were brought to light. Thus, people feared and hated me, but they could always respect me at the very least…until the family drama came to a head almost a year ago. I was eager to force my twin back into the pained existence that was my life, so I adopted a bitty in an attempt to get on her good side. Cesar ended up changing my perspective on well… _everything._

              Edgar, my ex-husband, finally became too intolerable to deal with when he… _ ~~accused you of carrying a bastard~~_ …lost his head and hit me.

              My parents shrieked in protest that their precious little asset had begun to think for itself. Their hooks were slowly driven from my frame one forceful push at a time until I could drag myself off of the rest.

              Edgar lost his business competent wife. My parents lost their star child.

              I lost the life that they had given me with thousands of chains and a few dozen contracts with the devil as a ‘bonus’, but I gained back some of the respect and…love I had lost with the members of my family that mattered in the process.

              **Olivia:** Hey

              **Olivia:** Hey

 **Olivia:** Nadia!

              I glared at my phone as I pulled on my dark red pumps.

              “ARE YOU GOING TO ANSWER HER?” Cesar sat on my lap glaring at my phone as it continued to light up, “SHE WON’T LEAVE YOU ALONE UNTIL YOU DO.”

              “I know.” I sighed and picked my phone up.

              **Nadia:** Yes?

              **Olivia:** Sissy and I were planning on celebrating G and you guys’ birthday on the same day

 **Olivia:** since they’re so close together and you have a hard time getting time off

              **Olivia:** Will you come?

              _I don’t think I really have a choice._

              If I said no, Olivia would cry about it to Josephine, so my shorter, crankier, stronger twin would more than likely have her skeleton fiancé teleport her to Greenridge just to drag me to Grayridge by my hair. If I said yes, I would more than likely have to deal with my grandmother. At least in one version, my grandmother would have one less thing to snap at me about.

              **Nadia:** I’ll see if I can get time off.

              **Olivia:** Yay! I can’t wait to see you.

              **Olivia:** Work hard! See you in May!

              _It’s only February…._

“YOU’RE SCOWLING.” Cesar tapped on my chest. He had chosen to wear one of his plain eyepatches instead of the fancier ones. _That means he’s serious. Good. The meeting we have to go to today is very important._ Cesar snapped his fingers to get my attention, “WHY?”

              “Olivia invited us to visit for a dual celebration in May. She and Josephine decided to celebrate mine and Josephine’s birthday on the same day they plan on celebrating Greyson’s.” Which more than likely meant that Josephine and I would be sidelined in favor of the infant.

              “WE’RE GOING?” Cesar cocked his head. He always seemed to slightly disapprove of my actions when they seemed- as he described them- “too selfless” for his tastes.

              “Yes.”

              “YOU’RE JUST GOING TO HURT YOUR OWN FEELINGS.” Cesar growled.

              “I want to go.” I lied. _Well, it would be nice to get out of Greenridge. I hate all of these ‘parks’. At least Grayridge didn’t insult me by constantly throwing happy couples and families in my face every damn day._

              “WHATEVER. YOU CAN CHOOSE YOUR OWN COFFIN I SUPPOSE.” Cesar made a noise of disapproval when I stood up and carried him on my arms. He allowed this small bit of clinginess on my part with gritted teeth, but the simple act always seemed to bug him even more in the morning.

              “It’s not that bad.” I argued, gathering my things.

              “HMPH….” Cesar wasn’t particularly fond of any of my sister’s bitties. None of the 15 little creatures were willing to give him a true chance, and they all tended to all but bully him. Some were worse than others. My boss still hated going anywhere near any of them though.

              “Have you given any more thought to the two us adopting another bitty?” I questioned him, squishing a small rat under my heel as I exited my apartment. _I’m going to **sue** this woman if I have to keep getting blood on my heels. These are supposedly some of the best apartments in Greenridge. I’ve seen better in Grayridge’s inner city. _

              “NOT REALLY. YOU’LL DO WHAT YOU WANT NO MATTER WHAT I SAY.” Cesar huffed.

              “A new bitty would be a big deal.” I frowned down at him, “I would never just get a new one without discussing it with you.” Cesar gave me a flat look, “Unless there were dire circumstances involved.” I amended. Like my twin, I seemed to favor bitties with tragic pasts or temperaments that turned off most people.

              “DO AS YOU PLEASE.” Cesar shrugged, “NO BITTY COULD EVER HOPE TO MATCH ME, SO NO ONE YOU BRING FORWARD AS A POTENTIAL NEW ROOMATE WOULD BE MUCH OF A THREAT.”

              _Well…Raze probably would be._

              My twin’s  experienced fighter bitty Raze had fled a bitty ring with his mate _and_ managed to not only survive himself but keep his mate alive long enough for someone adopt them. He was much stronger than the average edgy, but he was- ironically- not the bitty Cesar feared the most. That title went to the small, mostly timid cherry named Idjit who had a nasty temper when certain buttons were pushed.

              “I’ll keep looking for potential candidates then.” It was hard trying to find a bitty that appealed to me. It was even harder to find one that Cesar wouldn’t kill for simply being annoying, “Our apartment is a little…too quiet for my tastes.” My bitty made a clicking noise with his teeth that usually meant that he disagreed, “Opinion?”

              “WE DON’T _NEED_ ANYONE ELSE.” Cesar grumbled.

              _Wait…_

              “Are you getting jealous at the idea?” I shifted him higher up to try and meet his gaze. He stubbornly refused, “Cesar…a new bitty wouldn’t be anything more than a new addition to the family.”

              “AND SOMETHING NEW TO HOLD YOUR ATTENTION.” He snapped, “YOU’LL END UP ADOPTING SOME SICKENINGLY SWEET LITTLE SHIT THAT JUST ADORES YOU, AND YOU’LL TOSS ME OFF TO THE NEAREST BIDDER BECAUSE MY PERSONALITY IS TOO BRASH. I’VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE.”

              I stepped out of the elevator onto the apartment building’s ground floor. I paused outside the doors and shifted Cesar in my arms once more. He hissed at how close I was getting, but he paused when he felt me kiss the side of his head.

              “WHAT?” He snarled.

              “I wouldn’t abandon you.” I told him firmly squeezing him to my chest once before beginning to walk again, “I would _never_ do that to you. There are only so many bitties who can get along with a woman like me after all.”

              Cesar flushed dark red and refused to look at me for the rest of our journey to my workplace.

              Transitioning from CEO to workplace drudge had been easier than I expected. Since I knew what my boss wanted, I often gave him the best results and reaped the best rewards for my efforts. Getting time off was only difficult because of Jesse Berken’s desire to keep me at hand incase shit went down, and he needed someone to fix it. People had hazed me like we were back in college- in the beginning at least. Then Cesar broke one of their jaws. The horrific pranks stopped like magic, and my coworkers realized that I was the kind of woman who never forgave or forgot past transgressions. More than a few had to leave the state after Cesar mentioned the hazing to Berken.

              “Hello there Newmore.” One of my male coworkers approached me. He was a kind man that seemed to gravitate towards the outcasts in the workplace, so I didn’t resent him approaching me, “I’m surprised you didn’t have dozens of roses on your desk when I came in.”

              “What?” I looked up from my computer. Cesar didn’t stop working on filling out some reports by hand for me.

              “It’s Valentine’s day.” My coworker pointed out, “Are you single?”

              “Yes.” I nodded. He blinked in genuine shock.

              “How?” He scratched the back of his head.

              “Because I have an abrasive personality, strident tongue, and little time to handle a romantic relationship right now.” I answered honestly, “I also tend to intimidate men without meaning to.”

              Perhaps it was my sharp, almost talon like ruby red acrylic nails that kept them away. Maybe it was the dark, foreboding look I couldn’t shake out of my dark gray eyes. Hell it might even have been the sharpness to my features that my twin didn’t have.

              Whatever it was, it drove men to leave me in the friend zone quickly.

              I didn’t really care though. After divorcing my horrible husband, I wasn’t exactly eager to jump back into the ocean to find another fish. There were too many sharks hidden among the bright potentials that I honestly didn’t want to deal with.

              “I…see…uh…” The coworker laughed, “At least you can acknowledge your flaws I guess….Are you ready for today’s meeting?”

              “I am.” I nodded, “I’ve been preparing for the past two days.”

              “Good. Well, see you at the meeting.” The coworker waved and began to walk away when he remembered something, “By the way, I um…think Stevie is going to try and pull something on you at the meeting. Don’t take it too seriously, but I just wanted to warn you.”

              _Stevie must not value his job then._

              “Thank you for the warning.” I didn’t smile.

              “Alright.” He looked eager to get away from me.

              “ANOTHER PRANK?” Cesar sighed.

              “It’ll probably be something Valentine ’s Day related.” I rubbed my temples, “Honestly, he needs to grow up some.”

              _I am Nadia Victoria Newmore._

_I will **not** be broken by some prank. _

              I did end up, however, enjoying the end result.


	2. Saphenous Vein

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch1
> 
> I've decided that I'll write Burned up to a certain point, crank out the spin off that takes place before Jo's wedding, then go back to Burned, then to the other spin off, then to the Pap centric story.  
> That's my plan right now. It's subject to change though *we all know I change my mind a lot*
> 
> ANYWAYS! New bitty! A bloody berry to be exact. You can find a link to his creator in Ch1

              The average person would more than likely find my job to be ‘dull’. Immediate satisfaction didn’t exist, and I often found myself having to tolerate a bunch of idiots reaching out too far. Still, there was a unique kind of power one could find in my line of work. Power can easily be its own reward.

              Some people would then probably wonder why I didn’t take up some of the higher paying jobs I had been offered. More money did typically equate to more power. The simple fact of the matter had been that I didn’t want to put that much distance between myself and Grayridge. As painful as my memories of that city were, it was still where my family was located- the members I liked at least. Sadly, my pain in the ass Aunt Catherine and her sons lived in Greenridge. Thomas and Bobby weren’t as unbearable as their mother, but they did hold some of her twisted values up as gospel. _I could be living near my parents again though. This isn’t that bad when I think about it like that._

              The meeting went by smoothly despite a couple of people trying to silence me. Most of them didn’t have the vocal training I did, so it was easy to talk over them without sounding like I was yelling. Berken seemed eager to begin working on my proposal- to the annoyance of my competitors.  If everything went according to plan- which it would because my parents didn’t raise a failure- his company would get a 34% increase in profits within the next few months. _I wonder if a promotion is anywhere in my future…_

              “Alright.” Berken sat back in his chair, “That’s all for today. Good work everyone.”

              We all began to gather our things. Cesar was organizing my pens into the case I carried them in while I gathered up all of my paperwork.

              “Hey, Nadia.” Stevie, a young, ambitious fool just out of college who thought he could take down a former CEO that had been trained from childhood to navigate the waters of the business world, waved at me. He had a box-shaped, metal cage under one hand. A pair of furious, nearly feral red eyes flickered around. I had noticed the odd sight upon entering the room, but I didn’t pay him or it too much attention, “I noticed you didn’t get anything for Valentine’s Day.”

              “Stevie.” One of my female coworkers scolded him, “There’s no need to be rude.”

              “I’m not trying to.” Stevie protested, picking up the cage with one hand as he shrugged.

              “Williams.” Berken glowered from the head of the table.

              “I just wanted to give her something. It’d be sad for her to not get anything right.” He tossed the cage at me, throwing the bitty inside around. I caught it easily. I got a better look at the annoyed bitty inside. The bitty was shaped like a sans-type and wore torn, dark clothing. He snarled at me, baring sharp teeth and a deep red tongue tipped with metallic blades flickered out. One of his hands writhed with red flesh that erupted with blades. He tried to claw his way out of the cage with that hand, but there was some kind of field that kept his blades from exiting the cage, “I figured someone as cutthroat as you could appreciate such a bloody gift. Sorry he’s a bit feral. The mortician that had him beforehand wasn’t exactly a good guy, but what can you do?”

              “Williams.” Berken looked genuinely angry at that point.

              “Oh my god, he gave her a feral monster for Valentine’s Day?”

              “Ew, that is so gross.”

              “Talk about a health hazard.”

              My coworkers seemed to mistake my stillness as a sign of shock and revulsion. They all gasped when I began to laugh. Some even took a couple of steps back from me. Cesar snorted at their reactions and crossed his arms.

              “MOTHER.” Cesar growled up at me.

              “My apologizes Cesar.” I patted one head of his with my spare hand before carefully rubbing my face to try and stop my giggling. My coworkers seemed to be disturbed at the sudden burst of happy-like emotion on my face, “How sweet Stevie.” My voice dripped with toxic honey, “I guess this means you’ve been listening to me. I’ve been having a rodent issue recently, and a bloody berry would work _perfectly_ to help solve that issue.”

              “You…know what that thing is?” Stevie had stood up at that point. He actually looked scared of me. **_Good._**

              “OF COURSE SHE DOES.” Cesar rolled his eye.

              “I have been looking for a companion for Cesar after all.” I shrugged my shoulder and ran my fingers across the top of the cage. The clasps on each corner buzzed with energy, “Bloody berries are so hard to find and get ahold of. A lot of humans don’t like how vicious they are, so they often end up abandoned or in fighting rings.” I popped open one of the clasps with my nail. The bitty noticed the shift and tensed once he saw that my finger was approaching the other clasp.

              “W-What are you doing?” Stevie had turned a lovely shade of white.

              “Why I’m just opening your gift.” I batted my eyelashes at him, “Shouldn’t we all meet the lovely little creature you’ve given me? I’m certain he would _love_ to talk to about how you put him in a cage _he can barely fit in_.” The bloody berry seemed to like that idea a lot. He began pushing at the top of the cage experimentally, “Don’t you?” I popped the clasp open, breaking the barrier around the cage. The bloody berry surged out of the cage hissing in fury.

              “Newmore.” Berken held up a hand.

              I caught the bloody berry with my open hand and held him in place. The small bitty growled at tried to claw at my face with his blades, but a wall of tough bone came up to protect me. Cesar stood with one hand on his hip, the other held out controlling the bones. He snapped his fingers once the blades retracted and the wall splintered off into individual blades that circled the new bitty threateningly.

              “BEHAVE.” Cesar warned, “I DON’T WANT TO GET DUST ON MR. BERKEN’S FAVORITE TABLE.”

              The bloody berry hissed at him, but he did quiet down.

              “Now, now Cesar. Don’t bully him.” I stood up and threw the cage into a nearby trash can.

              “D-Don’t you think you might want to keep that?” One of the women in the room squeaked, “To control him…?”

              “Why would I do that?” I cocked my head. Cesar finished stacking my things for me, “That isn’t a good way to earn a bitties trust.” Cesar held out my things. I tucked them under the arm that held the bloody berry, “Well, this was an interesting meeting. Don’t you think so Mr. Berken?”

              “It was.” Berken sat back in his chair with a smirk on his face, “Are you happy with Williams’s gift?”

              “Why wouldn’t I be?” My words glittered with malice. Stevie had back up from the table at that point, “Thank you _so much._ I will have to repay the favor someday. Right now, I need to get to work. Please let me know if you need anything else Mr. Berken.”

              “I will.” Berken nodded.

              “Come Cesar.” I offered my spare arm out. Cesar took a seat on my forearm, and I raised him to rest against my chest. Small bubbles of sick, twisted delight at seeing how freaked out my coworkers were pulled a sinister smile on my face, “Let’s all have a _marvelous_ day at work everyone!”

              _Maybe they’ll all stop being so petty now._

              I could only hope that they would. Berken didn’t seem upset at my little display, so I didn’t worry about potentially losing my job. That had probably been the greatest middle finger I could’ve ever given my detractors.

              “Well then.” I looked down at the bloody berry that was eyeing my hand like it offended him, “Do you have a name?”

              “ **huh**?” The bloody berry looked up at me.

              “DO YOU HAVE A NAME?” Cesar repeated, “WE CAN’T JUST KEEPING CALLING YOU BY YOUR BITTY TYPE.”

              “ **saphenous.** ” The bloody berry grumbled. He scratched my hand when I accidentally increased the pressure of my grip while walking up a flight of stairs.

              “A large vein in the human thigh….A fitting name I suppose.” I didn’t pay the thin lines of blood running down my hand any real attention. The cuts were surprisingly shallow given the circumstances, “I take it that your owner either gave you up for adoption or passed on.”

              “ **dead**.” Saphenous clarified.

              “I’m sorry.” I had seen what owner death could do to a bitty. Waltzer- my twin’s sansy- still had a hard time adjusting despite the death being so long ago.

              “ **i’m not.** ” Saphenous bit me hard enough to leave deep bite marks in one of my fingers. Pain lanced up my arm at the pressure. My face stayed in a neutral expression. Cesar could feel the tension vibrating in my arm though.

              “QUIT IT.” A jagged bone pressed against Saphenous’s neck.

              “No bullying Cesar.” I warned him again.

              “HE IS INJURING YOUR HAND.” Cesar protested.

              “I am strange woman holding him. It’s understandable he wouldn’t be happy with me right now.” I kissed the top of Cesar’s head after briefly checking to make sure no one was around, “I am Nadia. This is Cesar.”

              “ **already know that.** ” Saphenous didn’t bite me again at least. He glared down at Cesar, sizing him up. Cesar looked up at him and promptly flipped him off. I felt Saphenous bristle in my hand, so I gently tightened my grip on him.

              “What do you want to do Saphenous?” I asked in an attempt to distract him, pushing open the door to the crowded work place I didn’t call my “home away from home” with my hip, “Your previous owner is dead, so you can’t simply be returned. Do you want me to take you to a Bitty Care Center? Do you want to seek a different owner? If you’d like to stay with me, I don’t mind.”

              “ **what the hell do you want from me?** ” Saphenous growled, wriggling himself out of my grip some.

              “Nothing really.” I noticed a few of my coworkers- ones who hadn’t been present for the meeting- eyed the new bitty in my hand. Their eyes widened when they saw the new wounds as well, “It’s a big decision to make, so take your time. I still have a couple of hours until I can leave anyways. Think about it.”

              I sat my bitties down on my desk. Saphenous-thankfully- didn’t bolt for the nearest exit. He stared up at me like he was trying to figure out what my end game was. He wouldn’t be finding any answers on my face. Placing my work down with my uninjured hand, I began to examine my right hand. _I don’t need stitches, but a couple of band-aids and alcohol wipes would do me some good._

              “Mrs. Newmore?” One of the shyer men approached me with a first aid kid, “I saw that your hand got hurt. Could I take a look at it?”

              “Sure.” I sat down and offered up my blood hand, “Wear the gloves though. You don’t need my blood all over you.”

              “How did you get hurt?” The boy- he was young enough in my eyes to be classified as a boy instead of a man- began to clean up the injuries.

              “Stevie decided to give me a bloody berry for Valentine’s Day.” I nodded my head in the direction of the rather cranky bitty. Cesar had begun to boot up my computer and get everything organized, “They’re kind of like edgies in temperament.” I shrugged.

              “O-Oh…” The boy shot him a scared look before quickly bandaging up my hand.

              “It’s not that big of a deal.” I checked to make sure that the wounds were covered properly. _It’ll do._ Saphenous had taken a seat on some of my paperwork. He glowered up at me, “Don’t sulk.”

              “ **i’m not sulking.** ” He snapped his teeth at me. Cesar flicked a rubber band in his direction. It cracked across the side of his head. Saphenous bristled and launched more of his writhing blades in the boss’s direction. Cesar blocked most of them and actually managed to catch one with one of his hands, “ **let go.** ”

              “ _BEHAVE_. YOU’RE BEING VERY DISRUPTIVE AND DISTRACTING.” Cesar twisted the red tentacle around his hand a couple of times and used it to tug the bloody berry towards him some, “MOTHER IS OFFERING YOU A PLACE TO STAY. THE LEAST A PATHETIC EXCUSE OF A BITTY LIKE YOU COULD DO IS BE RESPECTFUL.”

              “ **excuse me!?** ” Saphenous got up in his face.

              “I DON’T STUTTER.” Cesar met his gaze.

              “Enough.” I separated the two, untangling Saphenous’s blade from Cesar’s hand in the process, and placed them on opposite sides of my desk. I looked up at the young businessman, “Thank you for tending to my hand. I imagine that you have other tasks to accomplish, so your consideration is deeply appreciated. You should get back to work however.”

              “I will.” The boy gathered up the contents of the first aid kit, happy that he was going to put some distance between himself and my aggressive bitties, “Best of luck with your new bitty.”

              “I won’t need it.” _Only fools leave their opportunities in fate’s hands. I will guide myself._

              “ **cocky for a painted up workplace sex doll.** ” Saphenous jabbed at my hand.

              “SHE’S THE MOST COMPETENT PERSON IN THIS PLACE.” Cesar snorted, “FALL SILENT YOU OBNOXIOUS LITTLE PEST.”

              “ **excuse me?** ”

              “Enough.” I clapped my hands together loudly, “We will sort this out after we get home. Saphenous, take this time to think about what you would like to do. Cesar, leave him alone while he thinks. We have work to get done.”

              The two bitties reluctantly turned their attention elsewhere.

              _Honestly. So hostile. This will take some getting used to if he decides to stay…_

              Both of them were behaved for the rest of the day. My coworkers avoided me more because of the new bitty snarling and growling on my desk, but that just allowed me to get more work done without having to entertain them with pointless small talk. I was grateful that Saphenous didn’t bite off the finger of one brave and stupid individual who decided to poke the small bitty. It took both Cesar and I to prevent his angry blades and fangs from snapping down on the fool.

              “Done for the day.” I began to gather my things, “Saphenous, have you come to a decision yet? If you need more time, you can wait at my house.” Cesar grumbled some obscenities under his breath, “Hush Cesar. You’re too mean for a bitty that doesn’t have some bite to his bark.”

              “HMPH.” Cesar pouted- he would claim it had been a scowl later on- up at me, cutting a look at the brewing bitty sitting across from him, “HIM THOUGH?”

              “It could be much worse.” I shrugged. I looked back at Saphenous, “Your decision?”

              “ **you said i could stay with you?** ”

              “You can.” I nodded.

              “ **fine. it’d be fucking impossible to find a new owner anyway.** ” Saphenous groused.

              “True.” _He’s not exactly the most welcoming of bitties._ “Well, you’ll be able have some good meals at least. There are rodents in my apartment that should satisfy your desire to hunt. If you kill them all, we can just buy more.” I shrugged my purse and work satchel over one shoulder.

              “ **hunt?** ” His voice took on a sharp quality that I almost didn’t notice.

              “Yes, hunt.” I offered my hands out to my bitties, “We need to get home first.”

              It felt odd to have two bitties sitting on my arms. Saphenous- at a surprisingly short 4 ½ inches tall- wasn’t heavy or awkward to hold. He fit fine sitting next to Cesar despite the lingering hostility between the two radiating between them. In a way, the extra protection was a bit more comforting to have. I didn’t get off work until 9 most nights, and that particular day, I had stayed until 10:28 to get a couple of things done.

              “Newmore.” Berken waved at me to get my attention just as I reached the elevator that would take me down to the first floor.

              “Yes sir?” I turned to face him. He glanced at my bitties before crossing his arms and asking:

              “You weren’t deeply offended by Stevie’s failed prank were you? A couple of the female staff members are in a tizzy over it.”

              “Of course not.” _It’s probably those harpies that like to complain about not getting raises when they leave work five to six hours before the male staff and I do **and** show to work later than the rest of us. _“As I told Stevie, I’m actually quite pleased with this bitty.”

              “Despite those?” Berken nodded towards the bandages on my hand.

              “If you think this is bad, you should see my twin’s hands. They’re covered in scars from her edgy biting her.” There had been a period of time where Josephine’s hands were almost permanently covered in Band-Aids, “He didn’t eat any of my hand. He might try to take out some of my arm if I don’t get him home though.”

              “You’re keeping him then?” Berken cocked his head.

              “Yes.”

              “Keep him under control if you bring him to work.” Berken ordered me, “We can’t have him injuring other staff.” He stepped around me to hit the elevator button for me. While he was close he added, “Of course, you could always use him to get back at Stevie. Such petty things often fall through the cracks after all.”

              I left work with a smile on my face. _I enjoy working for Berken. He’s got a good head on his shoulders and a real feel for what his workers are experiencing. I don’t think I’ll torment Stevie though. That’s energy that can go elsewhere._

              “ **this is where you live?** ” Saphenous ran a critical eye over the modern apartment complex.

              “Did you expect me to live in a palace?” I cocked my head, “It’s an appropriate enough place to live- minus the rodent issue.”

              My land lady blanched upon seeing that rather disturbing looking bitty sitting beside Cesar. She didn’t tell me to get rid of Saphenous at least. A few of my neighbors looked ready to by some kind of bitty repellent as well. _They can be so very annoying- like small children or dogs._

              Saphenous jumped down from my arm the instant I stepped into my apartment. His motions took on a more animalistic look.

              “Ah…Guess you can already smell the rats. Have fun.” I stepped around him, “Try to not get blood everywhere. You _do_ need a bath at some point as well.”

              He wasn’t paying me any attention.

              Cesar gave me a look that repeated his earlier phrase of ‘him though?’.

              “Yes Cesar.” I tapped the tip of my nose to the top of his head, “What? Would you rather I go out and get a baby blue or...a cherry?”

              “NO!” Cesar grasped onto my sleeves, “DEAR STARS NO.”

              “I thought so.”  


	3. New Experiences and Potential

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch1
> 
> So! With the new year approaching, I want tell you guys the posting schedule I've decided on. Now those of you who were here when Patchwork was being actively updated will find this to be very similar to how that was done. To keep myself from burning out, I will no longer be doing a chapter/2 chapter a DAY posts. I'll still be writing in the background, but posting will work like this:
> 
> Addendum updates will be infrequent. Sometimes, I'll hammer them out like clockwork. Other times, they will sit there for a couple of weeks. This isn't anything personal, but I've gotta finish this next semester of school, get into a good college, and keep my focus mainly on Burned. *All Addendum updates will now happen on Sunday*
> 
> Burned will be updated every Wednesday (anywhere from 2-6 chapters a week).
> 
> Rhapsody and Cacophony will be updated when I have the next 6 chapters written, and then one final time with the last 7 chapters. Lost and Found (which chronologically takes place after R&C) will typically be updated every other Thursday.
> 
> If you want to ever chat with me about something, ask something, or see some random shit that I do drawing wise, check out my tumblr account (link is my profile). I just recently posted a picture of Lace from Found actually. That's also where I'll be posting pictures of Babylon when he's introduced.

              If there was one interesting and frustrating thing about owning a bloody berry, it was trying to find him at times. Saphenous did tend to trail behind me throughout the apartment, but sometimes he just vanished into thin air. I had no idea where he went. I only had a vague idea of what he was doing. The ripped apart rat carcasses that slowly dwindled into piles of bone were the only sign that he was around sometimes.

              Saphenous had been living with Cesar and I for about 5 weeks when my research into his background yielded any kind of results. The bloodyberry himself was surprisingly introverted and quiet about his past. He also didn’t speak very much at all and mostly spent his time trailing after me quietly or poking around the house without a care in the world. Cesar would sometimes find him doing things incorrectly- like almost breaking the thermostat. Still, it was almost like we didn’t have another bitty in the house at all.

              “I DON’T UNDERSTAND HIM.” Cesar grumbled as I bathed one evening. Cesar sat on the edge of my tub and dangled his feet in the water. He still wore most of what he went to work with me in- a button up and dress pants- but he didn’t have on his tie or suit jacket, “AT ALL.”

              “Not every bitty is the same Cesar.” I tried my best to soothe him- which was rather difficult because usually he was the one soothing me.

              “HMPH.” Cesar growled, “IF ANY OF HIS ACTIONS MADE THE SLIGHTEST BIT OF SENSE, I COULD BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THE APPEAL OF OWNING A BLOODYBERRY, BUT HE’S SO ERRATIC AND ALL OVER THE PLACE…”

              “I think he might be getting used to have so much free space.” I shared my theory with Cesar. Piecing together the story I came up with had been difficult, but it did make sense. “I did some more research on the human he used to belong to. Apparently, he was typically kept in a 3 x 3 cage for most of the day. The mortician only let him out at night to hunt down rats, and even then, he was restricted to only two rooms to move around in.”

              “I SUPPOSE A LOT OF NEW SPACE WOULD BE INTRIGUING AFTER LIVING IN SUCH A SMALL WORLD.” Cesar reached down into the bubbles and picked a couple up, “HE NEEDS TO STOP LEAVING RAT CORPSES AND BONES EVERYWHERE THOUGH. THEY STINK.”

              “I’ll add air freshener to our shopping list.” I promised him, “Thank you for being so cooperative with him thus far. I know it’s hard for you to not be the only bitty.”

              “HMPH.” Cesar looked away from me, “WHAT IS THAT MEANT TO IMPLY MOTHER?”

              “Jealousy is natural darling.” I sank lower down into the bubbles when Cesar kicked some water my way. A wry smile danced on my lips, “I think I might’ve ended up spoiling you a little too much.”

              “EXCUSE-“ Cesar flailed, suddenly falling into the bath as Saphenous pulled himself up the side of the tub with his claws.

              “ **hello**.” He had a bit of blood around his mouth. He sat in the same place Cesar had been perched beforehand, “ **if the carcasses bother you, i could stack them in one place.** ”

              “It’s not the sight.” I plucked Cesar from the water. _Oh dear. His clothing is utterly ruined. One does not get this material wet…._ My fuming boss looked ready to literally throw Saphenous under a bus, “It’s just the smell. Rotting flesh isn’t exactly pleasant, and the beasts tend to lose control of their bowels upon death….I’m not complaining though. They’re dying at least.” A couple of my neighbors had noticed my rat problem dwindling. A few had even looked like they wanted to ask if they could borrow my bitty, “Saphenous…Lean closer.” I curled my finger in a ‘come here’ motion.

              The cautious bitty leaned forward slightly. I wetted my fingers and scrubbed the blood away from his mouth. He nipped me for it, but he allowed me to clean him up some.

              “DID YOU REALLY HAVE TO _SHOVE ME INTO THE FUCKING **BATH**_?” Cesar finally roared, getting his breath back.

              “ **no….i just felt like it.** ” Saphenous didn’t even flinch when Cesar lunged forward at him. I managed to wrangle Cesar close to my chest, “ **you can’t swim can you?** ”

              “WHEN WOULD I HAVE HAD THE CHANCE TO LEARN!?” Cesar fumed, “WE LIVE IN A LANDLOCKED CITY YOU DUMBASS!”

              “Cesar.” I ran a couple of fingers up and down his back comfortingly, “You’re getting riled up.”

              Cesar hissed at _me._ I raised a brow at him, and he quickly mumbled an apology and sulked in my hands.

              “Did you need something Saphenous?” I asked the bloodyberry, settling back in my still mostly warm bath to relax. I had managed to get home at a decent time, so my schedule allowed a brief bit of luxury.

              “ **not really.** ” Saphenous scratched the back of his head, “ **you just took longer in here than usual.** ”

              “Bubble baths tend to go on for longer periods of time than a normal bath.” I explained, “It’s a time to stretch out, relax, and let the stress of the day just roll off of your shoulders. You could join me if you’d like.”

              He didn’t. Saphenous did stay sitting on the edge of the tub, only moving when a cranky Cesar attempted to shove him into the tub as revenge while getting out of the water to change. _At least they didn’t start actually fighting. That would have been horrendous._ I got out of the bath once the water began to cool off. Bubble baths were only enjoyable as long as the water was soothing- not biting.

              “ **are those scars?** ” Saphenous stared at my stretch marks as I toweled myself off.        

              “No. They’re stretch marks from rapid weight gain and loss.” The ugly marks most certainly _felt_ like scars some days, “I don’t have scars I’m afraid. My twin does- more than a few.”

              “ **twin…sibling?** ” Saphenous got down from the tub and loitered around the bathroom, watching me get changed with a flat expression on his face, “ **that’s what a twin is right?** ”

              “It is.” I nodded, “Some twins are identical and look exactly alike. Others are like Josephine and I- fraternal. We don’t look alike at all in most scenarios. We dress and act differently as well. You’ll be meeting her in a couple of months actually.”

              Saphenous didn’t say a word, but the tilt of his head told me the question he was wondering.

              “I’ve been invited back to my home town in May. You and Cesar will be coming with me of course. I can’t have you terrifying a babysitter.” The image of a horrified teenage cheerleader gawking at my two somber, darkly dressed bitties actually made me chuckled, “I’d probably never be able to get one to stay longer than ten minutes.”

              “ **probably not.** ” Saphenous agreed.

              “MOTHER.” Cesar poked his head into the bathroom, “YOUR PHONE KEEPS RINGING AND RINGING. I THINK IT’S ANNOYING ORANE HAIRED GIRL.”

              “Ah.” I didn’t remember the girls name, but I did remember her ugly mop of highlighter orange hair. It didn’t go well with her skin at all and washed her out completely, “I wonder what she could need. We don’t work together on anything.” It was bad enough having to share office space with the breathy, whiny child. She was one of those ‘I want to be paid more but work less’ types that drove me insane, so I took great lengths to avoid her completely when I could.

              “I DON’T KNOW.” Cesar shrugged, “DO YOU WANT ME TO BRING YOUR PHONE TO YOU?”

              “Yes.” I reluctantly said, “It might be work related.”

              “ **might be?** ” Saphenous climbed up to sit on the counter by my sink. I ran a comb through my hair, glad that I didn’t have any kind of fire elemental that would be injured by the water I tended to drip everywhere.

              “She also might be trying to ‘drag me out of my shell’ or something equally offensive.” Why people liked to assume that I was ‘shy’ or ‘timid’ was beyond me. If any of the fools listened to me speak for five minutes, they recognize that I had been professionally trained to maintain a cool head and confidence. True, absolutely none of it was genuine or natural, but it got the job done, “I might need to start posting “I don’t want to be your friend” signs around my desk.”

              “ **i could bite her…** ” Saphenous thought about it.

              “No. Then Berken would have to get involved.” I pressed a finger down on top of his head, “No violence.” He growled at me, but he didn’t cut me this time around. Cesar entered the bathroom with my phone overhead. I could hear the orange haired girl chatting away to no one.

              “HERE MOTHER.” Cesar held the phone up higher, “I’LL START CUSSING HER OUT OTHERWISE.”

              “Thank you for your patience.” I took the phone from him and helped him get up onto the bathroom counter. Placing the phone on speaker phone and setting as far away from my bitties as I could, I began to comb my hair, “Hello?”

              “Nadia!” _Did I **give** you permission to use my first name? _“Hi! Sorry to bother you when you finally got off early. It’s such a shame that they force you to stay so often.”

              “No one forces me to do anything. _I_ choose when I stay late. I also get paid overtime for it.” I kept my voice measured, “My tasks for the week were completed early. Thus there was no point in lingering in the work place. Now, did you need me for something in particular?”

              “I didn’t call to talk to you about work silly.” _Then why would you waste my time in the first place?_ I needed to call my sisters and ask them how their weeks had been. I needed to get Cesar’s dinner ready. I needed to make sure that Saphenous’s appointment was still set to happen the next day. In short, I had a ton of things to get done that _didn’t_ involve people from my work place.

              “What do you need then?” I gritted my teeth and tried to distract myself by picking what studs I would wear to sleep.

              “I was wondering if you were down to hang out tomorrow? The girls and I are going to hang out. Meg is trying to get us all to go to the gym, so we could use some assistance in convincing her otherwise. I mean, who needs a perfect bod huh?”

              My nerve snapped. The simple pearl stud I held in my hands tumbled to the ground. Slamming my hands down on top the bathroom counter, I took deep breaths to keep my rage calm. The idiot must not have noticed my change in breathing or chose to not acknowledge it.

              “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder right?” She continued on, “I mean no one is perfect. What’s the point in stressing out over stuff like that right? Jeez, Meg just loves to go on and on about it too. Can’t she ever think of lumpy girls like me or Heather? You know what I mean right- being so tall and all.”

               “My body is the perfect weight and shape for my height.” I gritted my teeth. _Is she daring to imply otherwise?_

              “Hey, that’s kind of…snotty don’t you think?” The girl whined, “We can’t all be blessed with good genes. You need to help a sister out.”

              “I’m not blessed with good genes.” I picked my phone up, “Do not call me again for such frivolous things. This number is _only_ for business calls. If you fail to remember that, **you will regret it.** ” I hung up without hearing her good-bye. My skin felt too tight for my body. My body felt too hot to be real.

              Impulsively, I raised my rather expensive cellphone and slammed it into the counter, shattering it spectacularly. Shards and pieces flew everywhere, scattering down to the floor beautifully.

              It didn’t help the anger buzzing under my skin. My veins thundered with fury as I thought about that little tramp undermining the years of effort, pain, blood, sweat, tears, and depression it took to carve my body into what it was. I already suffered with the damnable stretch marks that marred my otherwise perfect body. I didn’t need someone making my struggles seem pathetic or worthless.

              “MOTHER?” Cesar calmly approached me. I couldn’t speak through the anger roiling in my chest, but I looked at him. He calmly took the ruined phone from my hand, “BREATHE. YOU’RE GOING TO HYPERVENTILATE.”

              “ **what’s wrong with her?** ” Saphenous questioned Cesar, prodding him with a bladed finger.

              “SHE’S ANGRY.”

              “ **i can see that.** ” Saphenous snapped, “ ** _why_ is she so angry?**”

              “I worked hard for this body.” I gritted out, forcing calming breaths through my lungs, “I almost _killed_ myself for this body, this image. How _dare_ she imply that I’m somehow ugly on the outside without seeing the only physical imperfection I have? I’ll admit that my insides are rotten to the core and ugly. I’m not that foolish.” I laughed manically, “Jesus….My blood pressure must be through the roof right now. I need to go sit down…”

              I walked robotically from the bathroom, picking up my bitties without really thing about it on my way out. In only a towel, I took a seat on my comfortable high back chair and sat my bitties down on my lap. Closing my eyes, I forced my body to relax. Old pains scratched at the back of my mind, begging to come out to play.

              “MOTHER?” Cesar’s hands were clamped onto mine.

              “ **hey…** ” Saphenous prodded the back of my hand, surprisingly gentle, “ **your pulse is weird.** ”

              “Oh great…My tachycardia is acting up.” I began to feel the chest pain.

              “ **your what?** ” Saphenous made a confused face.

              “Nothing. I just need to calm down. Let me meditate a little.” I pressed my thumbs against their teeth before they could argue, “Shh…I’ll be fine.” The little bastards snapped at my thumbs, but they didn’t actually chomp down at least.

              After ten minutes of pulling myself into a serene mindset, I opened my eyes once more. My poker face returned, and my heart beat dropped back to normal. _I haven’t had an SVT fit in years…_ I sighed and went lax in my chair. _I suppose there’s a first for everything. I am under more stress than usual, and I did change anti-depressants…_

              “MOTHER? HAVE YOU CALMED DOWN SOME?” Cesar, who hadn’t moved the entire time, stepped closer towards my torso.

              “I have.” I assured him, reaching up and patting his head. I noticed that Saphenous had wandered off, “Where did Saphenous go?”

              “DO I LOOK LIKE I KEEP A PERMANENT EYE ON HIM?” Cesar crossed his arms.

              “Cesar.” I prodded his cheek with my finger. He bit at my long nail, but didn’t say anything, “I’m not asking you to be his babysitter, but you could make more of an effort to get to know him. That’s all.”

              Then there was a rat on my lap. It was dead, and blood slowly leaked onto my leg.

              “WHAT THE HELL?” Cesar glared down at where Saphenous looked up at me from the floor. He had more blood on him.

              _He’s…like a cat…That’s precious._

              Despite how disgusting the rat corpse on my leg was, I found the entire thing too funny to not laugh at. I probably shouldn’t have done that in all honesty. It just made Saphenous get cranky with me and caused a whole lot of bickering for the next few minutes. We also had to clean the blood off of the chair. Saphenous ended up dragging the corpse to a more private area after telling Cesar and I to screw off once or twice.

              _At least they seem to care a little bit about me._

             

              “MOTHER.” Cesar snapped his fingers to get my attention. I stood in front of my dresser tugging on a light pink nighty. _My mind needs to quit wandering so often._

              “Yes Cesar?” I bent down some and noticed that Cesar had the cheap flip phone I kept in case of an emergency with him.

              “MOTHER. HERE IS THE BACK UP PHONE.” Cesar slid it to me, “YOU SAID THAT YOU NEED TO CONFIRM THE BRAT’S CHECK-UP.”

              “I do. Thank you Cesar.” I picked both him and the phone up. Cesar allowed me to cradle him close to my chest with one arm, scowling the entire time, while I dialed the Bitty Care Center’s number and took a seat on my bed. I heard someone pick up, “Hello?”

              “Hello there. You’ve called the Greenridge Bitty Care Center. How can I help you?” The chipper voice on the other side of the phone made my skin crawl more than a little. _No one is that happy. That is physically impossible and more than a little disturbing._

              “I have an appointment scheduled for tomorrow. I wanted to confirm that you wouldn’t be cancelling. Your business is having an event of some kind tomorrow?” I felt Saphenous crawl up my leg. He didn’t take a bite out of me at least.

              “We do, but it won’t interfere with our usual bitty care hours.” The voice told me, “You can bring your bitty in no problem.”

              “Good.” I helped Saphenous up the rest of the way and laid back on my bed, “I didn’t want to waste my time otherwise.”

              “Actually, if you’ve only got one bitty, could I have a moment to encourage you to adopt another? Tomorrow we’re having a bitty drive where everything is 75% off if you adopt a bitty!” The voice said quickly before I could hang up.

              “Huh…” _Saphenous does need proper clothing, and they could both do with some vitamins._

              “MOTHER…NO.” Cesar glanced over at where Saphenous eyed my phone, “HE IS BAD ENOUGH.”

              “ **hmm...another bitty…..** ” Saphenous thought about it, “ **the string bean is the only other one i’ve actually met now that i think about it.** ”

              “Miss?” The voice asked, “Are you still there?”

              “Everything is 75% off? Clothing, vitamins, medicine, etcetera?” I questioned the voice.

              “Yes ma’am.” The voice sounded relieved that I hadn’t hung up.

              “I’ll think about it. Have a good evening.” I hung up the phone and tossed it lightly to the side, “Well?”

              “YOU’RE JUST GOING TO DO WHAT YOU WANT ANYWAYS.” Cesar sighed, flopping out against my armpit, “NO MATTER HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT….I DOUBT YOU CAN GET ONE WORSE THAN THAT ONE ANYWAYS.”

              “ **i’ll do you a favor and take that as a compliment.** ” Saphenous crawled onto my chest, fascinated by the lace decoration on the nighty. He looked like wanted to try and cut at it, but my reaction to him destroying one of my lace bras kept him from doing so, “ **so…new bitty?** ”

              “We’ll see. I’m more interested in the savings honestly.” It would be a good way to get a lot of typically expensive bitty supplies at a much cheaper price, “We could easily stock up on medication.”

              “EVER THE BUSINESSWOMAN.” Cesar snorted.

              “Money is money.” I shrugged, “Besides, what could one more bitty hurt? It’s not like you two are exactly competing for my attention.”

              “ **huh**?” Saphenous stabbed me lightly with one of his blades, looking more than a little annoyed.

              “OH HOW VERY KIND OF YOU MOTHER.” Cesar said dryly.

              _Why do I feel like I’ve gone and offended both of them?_


	4. A Brassy Named Copper and a Baby Named Babylon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch1
> 
> I know that I said Burned will be updated on Wednesdays, but I really wanted to get this chapter out : ) so it's early. Anyways, if you want to see a better picture of Babylon you can find it here https://kissxsleep.tumblr.com/ (along with some better images of Tinsel and Atlantic).

              The Bitty Care Center in Greenridge lacked the warm, welcoming aura that the BCC in Grayridge exuded. The building stood beside the other dark buildings, matching their black paint with gray brick, and glowed with the barest amount of dim light from the inside. Given the bitties rise in popularity among children, one would think that they would try to make themselves more welcoming and sweet to young eyes, but the staff, who were dressed in dark clothing and as somber as the building they worked in, didn’t see that as a priority of sorts. Even the cheerful voice from the night before belonged to a haggard looking glob monster with a twisted, almost terrifying smile.

              “Hmm…” I trailed my eyes across the dank room I found myself standing in. Like all BCCs, the lobby for bitty medical care was to the left of the entrance, and the adoption area was to the right of the entrance. The biggest difference was how opaque some of the tanks were. _How do bitties not go mad in a place like this?_ I knew that if Josephine had come in with me, she would’ve begun ripping this place to shreds. _She can never come in here._

              “Hello!” The glob monster waved at me from behind the counter. Bright, sickly yellow eyes burned across my flesh and made me desire a nice bath, “How can I help you today?”

              “I have an appointment for my bloodyberry.” I held up the annoyed bitty that had been sulking in my hands the entire trip here, “He was given to me a couple of weeks ago in fine health- if a bit underweight.”

              “And…this is his first visit here?” Judgement radiated from those words.

              “I’ve been busy.” I placed Saphenous down on the counter, “Like I said, he was given to me in good health despite the circumstances. Now, are you going to actually be helpful, or am I driving to Grayridge to have my bitty examined?” I raised a brow.

              “There’s no need for that!” The monster laughed, “One of our previous patients canceled, so we can bring him right back. Did you hear about our-“

              “Event? You told me last night actually.” I glanced over at the bitty pens, “I’ll have a look with my other bitty and see if anyone could be tolerable.”

              “Hopefully you find someone you like.” The monster winced when they picked up Saphenous and got a bite taken out of their hand. Saphenous spat it back out, gagging.

              “ **what the hell are you made out of? piss?** ” His bladed tongues danced angrily in an attempt to shake the taste away. The secretary looked at me, probably expecting me to discipline him for something.

              “Don’t just randomly pick him up.” I shifted Cesar down from my shoulder- where had unhappily sat during the trip here- to my arms, “He doesn’t like that, and he bites when he doesn’t like something. Honestly, a bitty tech of all people should know things like that.”

              The secretary’s anger was regulated to a slight twist of his deranged smile and orange tint forming in his eyes. He didn’t say a thing however. He just took Saphenous into the back.

              “I DON’T LIKE THIS PLACE.” Cesar growled. I could feel his magic bristling, “NOT ONE BIT.”

              “I don’t either. Though…if this is the one in Greenridge, I would hate to see the one in Blackrisge.” _If that cesspool of a city even **has** a BCC. _

              The soft sound of my heels clicking against the rough, metallic floor was the only noise in the front of the building. Even the bitties seemed subdued and mild in this place. _How have they gotten away with these conditions for so long?_ I knew then and there that I would be contacting The BCC in Grayridge to inform them of their sister location’s ill attitude.

              “NONE OF THEM ARE EVEN COMING FORWARD.” Cesar murmured to me, looking around at the opaque glass boxes stacked in the walls and the deep pens scattered around the room, “THIS IS UNNATURAL.”

              “You can say that again.” I grumbled back. My hair stood up on the back of my neck when I noticed small piles of dust here and there, “Lord have mercy…” The religious saying tumble from my atheist lips without warning, “What in the world is going on in this place?”

              Finally, there was another sound in the eerie place.

              **_CrACCkkK_**

“AHHHHH!”

              I jumped slightly, clutching Cesar close to my chest. One of the pens broke out into pandemonium. The sounds of bones cracking and bitties being slammed into the metal walls of the pen echoed through the room for a brief few seconds. Then, just the sounds of whimpers and pained moans filled the room.

              “What…?” I quietly approached the pen.

              “MOTHER!” Cesar barked at me. He clung to my shirt as we grew closer.

              Inside the small tight pen, around ten bitties were laid out in agony- cracked bones, torn flame, limbs missing entirely. Other bitties crowded around the injured ones and glared at the one who had to be the culprit. Anger simmered like boiling water in the pen below.

              A tall bitty stood, slightly bent forward in pain opposite of the group of bitties. I couldn’t really get a good look at him because of how dim it was in the pen. He looked like he more than likely had a history in a bitty fighting ring, and he held a the leg of a screaming edgy in his hands. With a sharp twist, he sent splinters of the leg flying everywhere.

              “i told you…” He panted, vibrating with fury and pain alike, “d o  n o t  t o u c h  m y  s o n.”

              After saying that, he took the two largest splinters from the leg and threw them into the crowd. One drilled through a grimby’s leg, pinning him to the ground. Another ripped open a boss’s throat.

              “Dad.” I finally noticed an odd sight standing a little ways behind the angry bitty. It was a hybrid bitty, but it didn’t look a damn thing like the hybrids I knew. Unlike my twin’s precious Tinsel and Atlantic, this bitty wasn’t a skeleton shaped bundle of purple flame. Instead parts of him were bone while others were flame. His skull never formed around the flaming head at all, leaving one half of his face looking like that of a grimby’s and the other jagged portion resembling the bitty he stood behind. Like his father, he wore a set of gray clothing- a short sleeved t-shirt and long pants. That ensemble allowed me to see that his left upper arm bone ended at the elbow. His upper right arm and hand were violet flames while his right forearm was cracked bone. He stood shorter than his father, but his fangs looked sharp enough to do his own fighting if he really had to, “You’re going to strain your back more.”

              “stay back kiddo.” The bitty extended his arm out to block his son from getting too close, “freaks like these…always wait until their prey is weak….it’s how cowards like them like to play.” He sneered at them, “come on then assholes…”

              The words seemed to make his situation _worse_. A few of the bigger bitties were starting to step forward. _Is he trying to get himself hurt?_

              “THIS FOOL IS GOING TO GET HIMSELF KILLED.” Cesar sighed, fixing his eyepatch before promptly jumping off of my arms.

              “Cesar.” I sighed. A fond smile tugged on my lips none the less.

              Cesar landed in between the two factions of bitties perfectly fine. His legs were stronger than most people gave them credit for. He twirled a femur bone that ended in a serrated point in one hand.

              “ENOUGH. YOU’RE MAKING TOO MUCH NOISE. IT’S BOTHERSOME.” Cesar hissed, “BESIDES, WHAT’S THE POINT IN FIGHTING SOMEONE WHO OBVIOUSLY OUT CLASSES YOU IN EVERY SINGLE WAY?” _You’re just going to irritate them more Cesar._

              “Butt out asshole!” A particularly brave bitty surged forward.

              He was sent flying with one crack to the face.

              “DID I STUTTER?” Cesar cocked his head, planting the pointed tip of the bone into the ground, “ABSOLUTELY NONE OF YOU KNOW HOW TO LISTEN, BUT I’LL TRY AND BE PAITENT. I’LL EVEN SAY IT AGAIN: _ENOUGH_.”

              The bitties must’ve decided that getting through a perfectly healthy, cranky boss just to beat up an injured bitty wasn’t worth it. They dragged the injured parties to the far side of the pen and glared at our side of the pen, hissing from time to time.

              “HMPH.” Cesar turned and tugged the bone from the ground. The angry bitty still stood in a hobble fighting stance, “I’M NOT ABOUT TO FIGHT A CRIPPLE YOU FOOL.”

              “did you miss this cripple’s body count asshole?” The bitty backed away slightly, pushing his son back in the process. Cesar opened his mouth to retort, but I spoke first.

              “Cesar. That’s enough.” I reached a hand down, startling the bitty. Sharp nails raked across my forearm- drawing blood in the process, “Hello.” I picked up Cesar and pulled back. The claw marks on my arm weren’t deep, but they did sting a little bit, “You have very sharp finger tips.”

              “who the fuck are you?” The bitty finally stepped into a more well-lit area. The tall, agitated brassberry glowered up at me from an angle to keep his peripheral on the bitty group across from him.

              “Nadia Victoria Newmore. Cesar is my bitty.” I leaned down, “Your turn. It’s only polite.”

              “copper.” The brassberry answered, “my son’s name is babylon.” Babylon looked up at me, mismatched eyes flickering with something- anxiety, fear, hope, something along those lines.

              “Hello.” I waved down at them, “Having issues with your penmates?”

              “They keep going into heat…” Babylon coughed awkwardly, “…and they seem to want _me_.”

              “which isn’t happening.” Copper growled at the group of bitties, “i’ll rip all 23 of you apart first.”

              “You can try cripple.” An incensed grimby hissed, cradling the leg of an injured one.

              “YOU’RE GOING TO END UP DEAD AT THIS RATE.” Cesar snorted, “WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR BACK?”

              “got body slammed hard enough to a bitty ring cage wall to fracture my spine.” Copper rubbed at what I presumed to be the injured bones.”

              “He isn’t supposed to be standing up this much.” Babylon fumed. The weariness of an old argument crawled into his words, “He’ll end up paralyzing himself at this rate.”

              “But if he stops fighting, you’ll end up being raped.” I pursed my lips, “What a conundrum you’re in…Cesar?”

              “HE CAN’T BE ANY WORSE THAN THE RAT KILLER.” Cesar huffed.

              “what?” Copper cocked his head.

              “Due to today’s bitty event, I was planning on adopting a bitty.” I elaborated. _I also know that if I don’t adopt you and tell this story to my twin, she will more than likely throttle the ever loving shit out of me._ “I could adopt both of you.”

              I didn’t get the reaction I was expecting.

              “do you expect me to be that stupid?” Copper growled, tugging his son close, “i know a fighter ring whore when i see one. i’m not about to be dragged back into that life.”

              _So he **is** from ring…_

              “What on earth makes you think I’m involved in that _illegal_ activity?” I looked down at my outfit. True, I wore all black as usual, but I didn’t find myself menacing.

              “some random woman in all black pops up with a skilled boss bitty fighter.” Copper pointed at Cesar, “what the fuck else would that look like?”

              “LIKE A BUSINESS WOMAN AND HER CHARITY CASE BOSS BITTY-“ Cesar pointed to himself, “-DECIDED TO HAVE MERCY ON A LOUDMOUTHED BRASSBERRY AND HIS BRAT. WE’RE NOT INVOLVED WITH ANY FIGHTING RING. MOTHER’S FAMILY WOULD KILL HER IF WE WERE.”

              “My little sister runs three charities dedicated to fighting ring bitties.” I added, “One of her bitties is a former prize bitty, so she feels rather strongly about the whole thing. My twin, has two bitties from fighting rings- a fighter and a prize bitty. She also was almost killed by the fighting ring they were from when they wanted the two back. I promise you, we are not involved with that life style.”

              “Ms. Newmore?”

              I looked over my shoulder and saw that the secretary had returned with Saphenous.

              “Saphenous.” I extended my hand out. The bloodyberry launched himself at hand immediately. He didn’t seem to have any new aches or pains, so I chose to be polite, “How did his appointment go?”

              “Smoothly.” The lie was easy to catch. I raised a brow at the secretary, “He didn’t let us do much actually. From what we could see, he’s doing fine. Saphenous here just doesn’t like other people too much huh?” The secretary laughed.

              “ **fuck off.** ” Saphenous growled.

              “Since he isn’t hurt, I won’t make a fuss.” I tapped my finger nail against Saphenous’s teeth when he went to snap again, “Enough.” He settled down. I nodded towards the pen, “Are those two available for adoption?”

              “Adoption? Which ones?” The secretary peered into the pen. They went a slight faded shade of blue upon figuring out which two I were referring to, “Um…you know the brassy is a former fighting  ring bitty right?”

              “Yes. It’s kind of obvious.” I rubbed a small circle into the back of Saphenous’s neck, “I’m also aware of Copper’s injury. We have had a nice little chat during Saphenous’s appointment.”

              The bloodyberry had relaxed slightly in my hand, but he did lean around my fingers to get a good look at Babylon and Copper. The two bitties still looked up at me with disbelief on their faces.

              “We rarely get people willing to adopt bitties like…erm…them.” The secretary rubbed the back of their neck, “If they’re who you want to adopt, and you think you can handle the responsibility….”

              “I can handle it.” I paused and bit the inside of my cheek to keep from snapping at the secretary, “I assure you.”

              In the end, I stood in front of the dingy front desk with my bitties- old and new- sitting in front of me. Saphenous stuck close to me, using my wrist as a barricade between himself and the secretary. Cesar stood looking more than a little annoyed off to the side while Copper helped Babylon tie off the left arm sleeve of the hoodie we had purchase for him to wear. Babylon’s clothing would need to be fixed to accommodate his lost limb, but I would rather ask Josephine to handle it for free instead of paying a ridiculous fee to a stranger to get it done.

              “Given this guy’s history, I need you to sign this.” The secretary slid some paperwork over to me with a pen.

              “What is this?” I asked as I began to examine the work.

              “An agreement that you’re aware of Copperhead’s history.” The secretary cleared their throat, “He’s a notorious member of the delta bitty fighting ring here in Greenridge. He’s killed 99 other bitties in his short life, permanently maimed and/ or crippled 120 bitties, and has been involve with well...around 87 different prize bitties. These number are probably lower than what they really should be, but he refuses to speak about it.”

              “why fuck would i talk about that hellish experience beyond telling you dumbasses the few addresses i knew?” Copper grumbled and looked down at his palms, “like anyone would want to be reminded of that kind of shit.” He spoke in a confident, annoyed tone, but I saw his eyes flicker up to my face to judge my reaction.

              I signed all of the paperwork and slid it back to the secretary.

              “I’m fine with that.” I shrugged, “Cesar and Saphenous can handle themselves.”

              _Besides, I’m half way certain Raze has double if not triple those numbers himself…_

              “Very well then.” The secretary cleared their throat, “Congratulations on your new bitties ma’am! We hope that they find a happy place in your home.”

              “I don’t know about happy, but we can work on it.” I lightly rubbed the side of Copper’s head. Shockingly, he actually leaned into it, “It can’t be too difficult…”

              “WE’LL SEE ABOUT THAT WON’T WE?” Cesar grumbled. Babylon struggled with his scarf, “FOR THE LOVE OF…” Cesar quickly tugged the scarf around his neck and adjusted it before Copper could really react, “THERE. NOW DON’T TUG AT IT.” Babylon hissed at him through the fabric, “OH HUSH.”

              “I’m going to go run this to the back okay?” The secretary held up the paperwork, “Once my manager approves it, everything should be fine.”

              “Alright.” I nodded, watching as Babylon glared at the back of Cesar’s head while Copper and the boss argued.

              “ **this….is going to be weirder than i expected.** ” One of Saphenous’s blades edged across the desk and poked at Copper’s leg.

              “what the hell was that?” Copper slammed a foot down on the writhing, red flesh that connected the blade to Sapheous’s hand, “….that…” The blank expression Copper made was followed by him shaking his head and climbing up my arm, “what the fuck? i’ve seen some weird shit, but the hell?” He hung off my fingers some, staring down at Saphenous as the bloodyberry retracted his blade back to his hand.

              “JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE ALL OF THE RAT CORPSES.” Cesar snorted, “BLOOD EVERYWHERE. BONES JUST STREWN ABOUT. IT’S HORRIFIC.”

              “ **no worse than your fashion sense.** ” Saphenous looked at the black on black ensemble Cesar wore, “ **hot topic called. it wants its stock back.** ”

              “THAT’S JUST WONDERFUL COMING FROM A HORROR MOVIE REJECT!”

              “Do they always argue like this?” Babylon asked me while the two began to bicker.

              “Yes.” I nodded, smiling fondly, “They do. Don’t worry. Thing’s don’t turn violent in public.”

              “And in private?” Babylon’s mouth twisted into a frown.

              “Fair game. They’ve only broken a couple of things at least.” The few mishandled, knocked over and ruined objects flickered through my mind, “It could honestly be worse though.”

              “what did i just let us get into?” Copper grumbled.

              There was a loud crash from the back. I slid my arm in front of my bitties and tugged them all closer. _What in the world was that?_ My bitties seemed to have felt the same way. All of them tensed in preparation as loud footsteps raged forward.

              A mass of flesh slammed through the door joining the front of the building to the back lobby. A wild mass of hair topped it, and upon recognizing a tube top and daisy dukes, I realized that this was a human I was looking at.

              _How much crack has she done in the last 40 minutes?_

              “Excuse me miss, but I’m afraid that those two aren’t for adoption.” Meaty hands reached out, “You see, some of my friends are adopting them later and-“

              “Hey!” The secretary stormed out, blazing pink in fury, “Back off. The manager said it was alright for them to be adopted!”

              “But my friends-“

              “Aren’t getting them, so _fuck off_.” The secretary roared, briefly turning a deep shade of red. The woman reluctantly pulled back and sulked her way back into the office. After a couple of composing breaths, the twisted smile was back on the secretary’s face, “Sorry about that. She’s new and seems to think that working here means her friends get dibs on all of the bitties.”

              “It’s fine.” I gathered my bitties up just in case she came back around again, “I’m clear to go?”

              “Yes.” The secretary nodded stiffly, “Please have a _wonderful_ day ma’am!”

              I left the building at a calm steady pace. The blue sky that usually hurt my eyes had never looked so lovely before.

              “I honestly feel like we just walked out of hell.” I said after a deep breath.

              “we did.” Copper helped Babylon stay balanced on my shoulder.

              “Well, I hope you didn’t like it because you aren’t going back.” I mused, clutching Saphenous and Cesar a little bit closer to my chest.

              “No complaints here.” Babylon assured me.

              “Good…well…hmm…” A wry smile tugged at my lips, “I guess luck was on your side Cesar. We didn’t adopt a cherry.”

              “I FUCKING HATE YOU!” Cesar growled.


	5. Revelations about the Ring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links in Ch1
> 
> My teachers want to kill me :D SO! I'm posting this early to make sure that something gets updated this week. 
> 
> Oh yeah, that posting schedule I mentioned? Throw it out the window. I'll be updating when I can.

              One downside to being the workplace fixer was how often the idiots I worked with would ask me to all but do their work for them. They acted like I didn’t have over 400 tasks to accomplish every one to two days, and they tended to get offended when I told them that I didn’t have time to assist them with their basic tasks. It wasn’t my fault that they couldn’t get typical reports written and filed correctly or speak with other companies to discuss deals and collaborations. They liked to act like it was though.

              _“If Newmore would’ve just taken ten minutes to help me, I could’ve gotten this done!”_

_“Can you believe how selfish she is?”_

_“She didn’t help me, so I lost a big merger!”_

_“She’s only interested in promoting **herself**.”_

_“Let’s be honest. She’s probably doing Berken some ‘favors’ to get so high up.”_

_“OBVIOUSLY. She’s too **rude** for it to be anything else!”_

              I was used to such harassment from the other female workers at that point. None of them were particularly fond of me because I didn’t baby them, and I wasn’t fond of their lackluster performances and lazy attitudes. If they were working for me, they would’ve lost their jobs the first opportunity I had to get rid of them. They consistently failed to impress. They constantly shifted blame onto each other, male coworkers, or- more of than not- _me_.

              I wasn’t under the illusion that my male coworkers loved me however. One too many date rejections earned me the nickname ‘ice queen’, and ‘conquering my frozen heart’ had become the task most of the womanizers decided to undertake. A lot of them also didn’t like how I tended to outclass them in every single way either. They found me intimidating because I made them actually have to work and perform spectacularly on a daily basis for there to even be competition between us. My male coworkers were also the ones who did most of the hazing when I began working for Berken.

              “Newmore?” One of the women snapped her fingers to get my attention. _I’m not a dog._

              “Yes?” I inquired politely, not looking up from my computer screen. I had around 136 e-mails to respond to in a time frame of a bout an hour, so I really didn’t need the distraction.

              “I need your he-“

              “FUCK OFF.” Cesar snapped at her, “DO YOUR OWN DAMN WORK YOU LAZY BITCH.”

              “Excuse me?” The woman gasped.

              “you work under highlander last time i checked.” Copper, who was being forced to lay down by his paranoid son, snorted, “go bug someone else.”

              “We work in the same building under the same com-“

              “Hush.” I warned her, snapping my head around to glare at her. She clammed up immediately, “If you value your job, you will _never_ say that Berken and Highlander own the same company. The two run reluctant sister companies, but even a monkey would recognize that they don’t want the two overlapping beyond sharing the building. Now, do yourself a favor and return to your floors and leave me alone.”

              _I’m **not** about to lose my job because of this fool._

              The woman walked away in a huff. She would probably complain to one of her higher-ups who would file a report to Highlander who would fire her for associating with one of Berken’s employees. How she managed to have a job at Mountain Heart Industries sister company Everglade SOUL without recognizing that Highlander hated her brother-in-law was beyond me. The two were constantly butting heads in news articles and in the workplace. That rare breed of stupidity never ceased to outright amaze me.

              “Nadia?” Babylon tapped my wrist.

              “Yes?” I asked, shaking my head in an attempt to clear it before focusing on my work again.

              “You’re drawing your lips together….they’re turning white.” Babylon tapped his fingers against his lower fangs. Only then did the pain from my lips register.

              “Ah, thank-you.” Without a careful thought in the world, I rubbed the left side of his face with my thumb. He jolted at the sudden burst of affection and blinked up at me as I began to zone in on work completely.

              “you work with a ton of jackasses.” Copper observed, not opening his eyes. _He’s most certainly grown relaxed in the past month hasn’t he?_

              “ **you haven’t met stevie yet…** ” Saphenous, who liked to be as close as bittily possible to my neck, responded dryly, “ **he’s a _real_ piece of work**.”

              “No harassing my coworkers.” I reminded them.

              “They don’t seem to mind harassing you.” Babylon moved to sit down next to his father. Copper wrapped a protective arm around his waist and pulled him closer. Babylon growled at the babying, but he didn’t snap at his father for it, “Can’t you report them?”

              “I could, but why on earth would I waste my time with something like that?” I cocked my head, “I report the serious things like death threats, rape threats, and so on, but petty grievances like “so and so doesn’t like me wah wah wah” doesn’t appeal to me. It wouldn’t solve anything. Get rid of on asshole and another will eventually take their place- not to mention the fact it would increase the rest of my coworkers’ hostility towards me at the same time.” I shrugged, “I’m not made of tissue paper dear. I can take anything these idiots throw at me in stride.”

              _Besides, most of them act like we’re back in high school….well…Sadly for them, I went to Grayridge’s prominent preparatory school where I was the head cheerleader and student council president to create the golden girl image my parents wanted for me, **and** I took private lessons on the side where I had etiquette, tactics, and ethics drilled into my head on a daily basis. They can call me Regina George all they want because quite frankly I know that they’re just envious of the superior opportunities I had growing up while ignoring what costs came with those early year bonuses. _

              “MOTHER.” Cesar caught my hand, “YOU’RE TYPING TOO HARD. YOU’LL BREAK ONE OF YOUR NAILS AT THIS RATE.”

              “Thank you Cesar.” I briefly paused my typing to pop my fingers. Irrational, unnecessary rage thundered in my veins. I thought of cool pools of water and soothing classical music to calm myself down, “I was getting agitated.”

              “ **your pulse went crazy.** ” Saphenous’s blade trailed across my skin lightly. All it would take was one swift, sharp strike, and I would bleed out on my desk in minutes.

              “It probably did.” I reached up and patted his back, “Human pulses tend to do that when we’re angry or upset in general. Kind of like how bitty magic spins counterclockwise when you get angry, making the air around you vibrate.”

              “you actually notice that kind of stuff?” Copper opened one eye to look at me.

              “How could I not?” I tapped the end of my nail against his cheek, “I have four of you.”

              Besides, it was rather obvious when they did it. The air literally moved after all. My bitties- with the exception of Saphenous- tended be very vocal about their displeasure as well. As much as they liked to pretend that they were in permanent states of stone cold badassery, the simple frustration and anger that came with life would aggravate them just like it would their human and monster counterparts.

              _I am glad that Copper seems to have calmed down though._ I let my eyes quickly slide over the mostly relaxed brassberry. _Which is good for Babylon’s health as well._

              In the beginning, Copper stayed on edge, expecting a betrayal every day and monitoring Babylon like a hawk. He tensed any time someone came to our front door, and he had snapped at me more frequently then despite his disability severely hindering his motions. Babylon- more curious and inquisitive than his grouchy father- had been more willing to explore and get to know me. Watching his son grow more at ease around my bitties and I, Copper slowly began to unwind and quit checking over his shoulders for knives.

              He even ended up telling me the gist of his story- which boiled down to:

              _“I was a former member of the delta fighting ring. The name the human’s picked for me was Copperhead because they decided to group me with a bunch of idiots and call us the Snake Nest. We were a bitty pack usually used for cheap entertainment. They’d throw us in with weaker bitties to rip them apart, or throw us in with one stronger bitty to watch us get our asses kicked. Since we were cheap entertainment, we went through members like crazy, but myself and Mamba- Babylon’s jackass of a carrier parent- were one of the long standing members. We hurt a lot of bitties in our time. I don’t like thinking about it…because if there’s a hell for bitties out there…I’ve probably already got a seat saved._

 _Anyways, one day the delta ring crossed over with the sigma ring in Grayridge. The Snake Nest was throwing in with burly edgy named Razor, and a lot of people wanted to see the more violent idiots in Snake Nest knock him down a peg or two and gang rape his side show attraction or whatever. We think that it’ll be an easy fight because of how roughed up he looked, but_ damn _did we get our asses handed to us. He killed almost everyone- myself and Mamba being the only exceptions. He left both of us permanently crippled though. We weren’t useful to keep around anymore, so we were dumped on the streets. Now don’t get it twisted or anything. Mamba and I were just two bitties trying to survive. We didn’t “wuv eachother so vewy vewy much”. Really, we barely tolerated each other most days._

_A couple of illegal bitty breeders picked us up for a time. I don’t like to talk about it, but we got out and made our way to Greenridge. Life in an illegal breeder’s hellhole isn’t fun, so…._

_**T h a t ‘ s  a l l  y o u  n e e d  t o  k n o w  a b o u t  t h a t  e x p e r i e n c e .**_

_Babylon isn’t really my kid- don’t tell him that or I’ll rip you’re throat out. He is half brassberry though, and trust me when I say his real father is dead. Mamba couldn’t handle that fact outside of the breeder’s hellhole. It drove him mad. I thought that maybe leaving the kid at some bleeding heart’s house would be enough. It wasn’t though. After Babylon was born, he tried to kill him._

_I’ve got a lot of dust on my hands. I’ve killed some pretty weak bitties._

_But even I won’t kill a baby._

_Gotta have some kind of morality, or I’m not different from the rest of the sickos in the rings._

_….Hell…I don’t even know if I am really different._

_Mamba had damaged his left arm before I could stop him. I tried to reason with the jackass, but no dice. He was determined to leave nothing but dust behind. I ended up defending the kid from Mamba. We got into a fight, and Mamba decided that he was going to kill me too because his mind had just completely snapped at that point. So I shoved him into a puddle and smothered him with the water. He struggled of course, left some nasty burn marks on my ribs._

_I was left with the kid after that. Nobody to lean on. No help coming from anywhere. That was how we ended up getting caught by the Greenridge BCC rounders. They found me because I wouldn’t leave the kid behind, and they actually kept us locked up in a separate containment box the first few months of Babylon’s life. The other bitties would’ve killed him otherwise. Things were fine- horrible living conditions aside- until they started throwing us in the public pens. Then, what you walked in on became an everyday occurrence that kept stressing my back out._

_Listen, I’m not a good man. I’m not, plain and simple. If I could go back and crush my skull right after I was born, I would, but I don’t have that luxury, and I’ve got to deal with the shit going on in my head on a daily basis. I can understand you not trusting me around your other bitties. I can understand you thinking me a monster. I don’t give a single **fuck** about what you think about me._

_Just please take care of Babylon._

_He doesn’t deserve the lot life gave him. He didn’t ask for it. He didn’t want it. He’s just stuck with it. His hands are spotless. I’ve made damn sure to keep dust off him and his conscience. I just want him to be a normal kid. That’s it. Okay?_

_so…anyways…ya happy with that? or are you going to keep staring at me over your coffee mug like i’m some kind of frog on a dissection table?”_

              “hey.” Copper nudged my arm with his foot.

              “Hello.” I looked at him. Babylon had ended up actually falling asleep against him. Saphenous snored on my shoulder, and Cesar wrote up reports expertly, “Is something wrong?”

              “you’re narrowing your eyes at your screen again. did you forget to put your contacts back in?” Copper asked.

              I blinked my eyes and realized that I had indeed forgotten to replace my contacts. Earlier that morning, some idiot had sprayed something too close to my face, so I ended up having to remove my contacts.

              _That would explain the headache setting in_.

              “I didn’t.” I reached into my dark red purse and pulled out my glasses case, “Thank you for pointing that out. I would’ve gone all day without noticing.”

              “mmm…” Copper shrugged, running a hand through Babylon’s ‘hair’, “you need to be able to get all of us back to the apartment without running into something.”

              “And here I thought you were perhaps coming to care about me.” My dry words made his lips quirk up into a small smile. I put my glasses on, “I’m wounded.”

              “if you could be wounded that easily, you would’ve killed yourself a long time ago working in a place like this.” Copper snorted.

              “MOTHER, YOU’RE WEIRDING OUT A FEW OF YOUR COWORKERS.” Cesar’s eyes flickered across my stunned coworkers, “I THINK THEY HAD FORGOTTEN THAT YOU’RE HUMAN JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.”

              “They probably did.” I agreed, “It’s easier to imagine me to be some idealistic robot instead of an actual human being after all.”

              “ **well, your sense of humor is more than a little rusty.** ” Saphenous slurred out.

              “DID YOU REALLY JUST…? UGH, YOU’RE WORSE THAN THE TRASHBAG JOSEPHINE IS MARRYING.” Cesar threw a pen at Saphenous. The bloodyberry sliced it in half before it could ever reach him, but he did end up getting black ink on my black suit in the process however, “REALLY?”

              “ **you’re the one who threw the pen.** ” Saphenous argued.

              “oh for the love of…” Copper groaned, “don’t start up now. we still have to stay here for hours…”

              “I agree with Copper on that boys.” I snorted, “You two will go at it all day if I let you start now. Both of you, hush and focus on something else.”

              They reluctantly did as I asked.

              _I’m glad that they can differentiate between a place to argue and a place to behave._

              The rest of my day went smoothly. I guessed that my display of humanity towards my bitties must’ve disturbed more people than I figured because no one else came to bother me- surprisingly. A lot of work got done, and I was more than a little happy.

              “Newmore!”

              _Damn. Just when I thought I could have the perfect day…_

              “You’re Newmore right?” Some new girl panted, beaming up at me, “I’m Daniella. It’s nice to meet you. I’m new here.” The girl offered her hand. My arms were rather busy holding my bitties however, and she quickly noticed that I wasn’t about to change that for her, “I just wanted to introduce myself since we’ll be working together.”

              “I see….” I didn’t recognize her at all. _She’s new, untested, and from the looks of it more than a little dim headed…Not much of a threat really._ Deciding to be somewhat polite, I pulled up the smile that had fooled many people over the years, “It’s nice to meet you Daniella. I look forward to working with you.”

              “Oh?” Hope burned in her eyes, “I look forward to working with you too!” She beamed and leaned in towards me to whisper, “I heard some of the other women talking about you in the bathroom. I’m sorry they’re so mean to you, but maybe I can make up for it by being your friend?”

              “We’ll see won’t we?” _You’ll run to them when the going gets rough. Your kind always do._

              I managed to wriggle my way out of that potential conversation easily and hurried out of the building. The fresh air was a relief after hours caged in the cement palace. Greenridge was surprisingly uncrowded for once. Maybe it was in anticipation for May which was right around the corner.

              _I’ll need to inform Berken that I’ll be taking six days off to visit my family…_

              I had the time stacked up, so I wasn’t particularly worried about it.

              “hey, nadia.” Copper tugged on some of my hair, “you said that your sister has some bitties from a fighting ring right?”

              “She does.” I nodded.

              “you know what ring they’re from?” Copper questioned.

              “I don’t really. I believe one of Olivia’s bitties knows. Are you worried about having met them in the past?” I shifted Cesar and Saphenous into a more comfortable position on my arms.             

              “potentially.” Copper scratched the back of his neck

              “I’ll text Olivia when we get home then.” I told him, turning my head to block a blast of air from knocking Babylon off of my shoulder, “You alright?”

              “Yeah.” Babylon’s hand tangled in my hair.

              Once we got back home, Saphenous began to investigate some suspicious noises while Cesar opted to take a nap. Babylon, who I would swear up and down seemed to be developing a bit of a crush on the boss, would hide under the couch and do whatever. Copper chose to stay with me to find out the answer to his question.

              **Nadia:** Olivia. Do you know what bitty fighting ring Raze and Sunshine came from?

              **Olivia:** Sigma. Why?

              “sigma….” Copper glared at my phone.

              **Nadia:** One of my new bitties is from a fighting ring.

              “Do you think you know them?” I asked Copper.

              “maybe…got a code?”

              **Nadia:** Do you know one of their ‘code’s

              **Olivia:** Sunshine is SRPB143. Willy says that Raze went by Razor in the ring.

              Copper almost fell off of my shoulder.

              _Oh dear…_

              **Olivia:** Nadia?

              “well fuck.” Copper was limp in my hands, “he might try to kill me….”

              “I don’t think he’s that temperamental…” I could hear the hesitance in my voice.

              “ugghhh…” Copper groaned.

              **Olivia:** Nadia? You’ve got me worried!

              **Olivia:** Nadia?

              **Olivia:** I’m calling Sissy

              “OI! WHORE!” Josephine’s voice blasted through my voicemail system, “Why are you worrying Livvy huh?”

              _Oh this is just going to be wonderful…_


	6. Compromises and Opportunities

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch1
> 
> ...so....Some of you might be wondering "Where the fuck did F&S and R&C go?" The answer to that question is that I've decided to redo F&S because I just wasn't satisfied with Shin's character. It felt off and way too much like Nadia to me. Besides, his story didn't really do anything beyond giving Mettaton an LI. I want my side content (besides the addendums) to add to the world building side of things (the new one for Shin will provide more on bitty fighting rings for example). Thus, I'm reorganizing my side content.  
> Right now I'm focusing on "Shining" and "Glittering" (the former is Shin's story. The other focuses on Leo's new LI Reina and human-monster relations) That's 25 chapters of content I hope to write out over 5 weekends (RIP my sleep schedule XD). I'll also be focusing on Lost Family on Fridays (but it's only 7 chapters long, so it'll only take- at the very most- 3 Fridays to write). I will post S & G together when they're both done since they center around parts of Leo's life. So...expect this place to be dead over the weekends because I'll be working on those stories. I may answer a comment here or there during the breaks I take to keep from going crazy. Also, I won't be actively focusing on the addendum until all of the above work that has been done (in other words sometime in February). You can still send in prompts (unless I close it. If that happens, please don't send prompts. I will discard them)  
> BURNED WILL STILL BE UPDATED. (put it in caps just in case some people started freaking out and worried that it wouldn't be :P) It'll just be updated Mon-Thurs whenever I have a new chapter ready. I'd say expect maybe 2-3 chapters a week and 1 at the very least if my schedule gets tight because of real life. After this massive workload is done and I can breathe again, I'll be focusing on Burned and the Addendum. Towards the end of that, I'll outline and write Dimming (Napstablook-centric) and Sparkling (Toriel-centric) before the finale of the Newmore sister related content Sunsets With You. From there...I have no fucking clue beyond at least a simple single chapter piece dedicated to Greyson going to college. *shrugs*  
> Anywhoo, I'm going for a walk now to relax and get some exercise. It's my time to mull over things and come up with new ideas too :)

              “So you’re telling me that one of your new bitties was crippled by my bitty and now fears for his life?” Josephine double checked.

              “Yes.” I sighed.

              “Huh… _RAZE_.” Her resounding voice made me jump. Like always, she commanded much with little effort, “C’mere you little shit.”

              “the fuck ya want?” Raze snapped back.

              “Don’t yell at me you little fucker.” Josephine fumbled with her phone a couple of minutes. I think it hit the floor once or twice until a loud thud was followed by a victorious ‘ha!’.

              “Josephine?” I tapped my pencil against my knee. I tried my best to avoid sounding demanding. _I_ was the one calling ten minutes away from midnight while we were both slammed with work, “Is everything alright?”

              “Yup.” She made a hissing noise, “Just having the ever loving shit bitten out of me right now. Give me just one second…”

              I waited, curling and uncurling my toes impatiently. Saphenous actually began to poke and prod at my feet out of curiosity. The blades stung now and then, but they mostly tickled. Copper had fallen asleep after taking his pain medication. Babylon, ever the diligent son, watched over him from his sitting position on my lap while occasionally continuing a conversation he and Cesar were having.

              “IT SHOULD NOT TAKE HER THIS LONG TO CALM DOWN THAT DAMN EDGY.” Cesar grumbled, checking my e-mail for me.

              “I thought you said that she had her bitties under control?” Babylon looked up at me.

              “She does…most of the time…” Josephine could be too lenient towards her bitties.

              “what the fuck do you want?” Raze’s growl startled me.

              “Hello Raze.” I said politely.

              “skip the niceties. i’ve got two kids i should be watchin’ right now, so ‘urry the fuck up.” Raze made a noise of discomfort.

              “Raze, Flowey can watch the boys. Be somewhat polite.”

              “ow. fuck…grrr…” Raze snarled.

              “Hush.” Josephine more than likely flicked the back of his head.

              “If I may interject Raze?” I calmly slid in before they could start up again. He made a reluctant noise of approval, “I’ve adopted a bitty recently. He’s from a fighting ring.”

              “yeah, and yer point?”

              “He’s from the delta ring. You might recognize the name they called him by. It’s Copperhead.”

              There was silence. I tapped Copper awake and put the phone on speaker.

              We waited while Raze seemed to chew on the news. Then….

              “ ** _are you fuckin’ with me?_** _”_

              “no you overgrown asshat.” Copper snapped, “guess their plans of having someone rip your voice out failed.”

              “i didn’t realize dogs could talk.” Raze hissed, “you should start an event nadia. _biggest motherfucking sell out of a bitch in the world!_ it’d probably get _real_ popular.”

              “very fucking original.” Copper rolled his eyes and struggled to stand up and walk over to the phone, “you always were a fucking dickhead.”

              “ya wanna talk like that when i know the entire lower portion of your fucking spine is just about done for? i distinctingly remembah slammin’ you into the side of the cage until you had spider web cracks on top of jagged rents.”

              “i don’t need legs to fuck you up.” Copper surged forward only to stumble and face plant into the couch.

              “ **be more careful you idiot.** ” Saphenous dangled from my foot and shook his head at Copper’s display, “ **you aren’t going to intimidate anyone falling flat on your face like that.** ”

              “Dad!” Babylon scampered off of my lap. He offered his father some helpful hands up, “Are you okay?”

              “i’m fine bab.” Copper pushed himself up, rejecting the assistance. Raze was surprisingly silent, “what prick? don’t have anything else to say? thought you were notorious for running your fucking mouth.”

              “dad? you, the fucking bitty baby _killer_ have a fucking _child_!?” Raze blew up.

              “Don’t talk about my father that way.” Babylon roared back in response, magic crackling dangerously over his small frame.

              “fuckin’ hell…” Raze began to…laugh.... _He’s actually laughing right now?_ “i don’t know whether this is karma being a fuckin’ bitch, or if i even fuckin’ love the irony right now…..”

              “don’t act like your hands are clean.” Copper warned.

              “i’m drowning in fuckin’ dust, but none of that dust came from a fuckin’ kid.” Raze honestly sounded like his last bit of sanity had left the building, “shit…” There was a sound of distortion.

              “Raze?” Josephine called out, “One sec, he teleported off of my lap…”

              Josephine proceeded to look around for the edgy while Copper sat back down on the couch with a low groan. He had a hollow look on his face as he absentmindedly scratched at his hands.

              “Dad?” Babylon placed a calm hand on his back. Copper didn’t react, “Dad…”

              “ **um…** ” Saphenous crawled up my leg and peeked over the edge of the couch. He extended one of his bladed fingers out to poke at Copper, “ **your kid is asking for you.** ”

              “HEY.” Cesar clapped his hands to get Copper’s attention, “YOU’RE GOING TO LEAVE RENTS IN YOUR BONES AT THIS RATE.”

              “Copper…” I frowned. _How could I be of any help right now….?_ I chewed on my bottom lip, almost ripping it open in frustration. Finally, I reached down and picked him up. He startled and swatted at me at first, but he relaxed after I placed him against my collar bone, “….”

              “hmph…getting real handsy aren’t we?” Copper griped. He didn't throw a fit though, “ow…shit….what the fuck…” He looked at his hands, “damn, i need to file down my finger tips.”

              “I TOLD YOU SO.” Cesar rubbed one of his temples. He placed the other hand on a worried Babylon’s head, “HE’S FINE- JUST BEING A FOOL.”

              “Dad?” Bayblon ignored Cesar, “Should I go get you some monster candy for your hands?”

              “no point in wasting it. they’ll recover given some time.” Copper experimentally flexed the cut up bones. He made a quick, sharp face of agony before forcing a smile towards Babylon, “promise kiddo.”

              “…. **you do remember we literally have enough monster candy to last a couple of _years_ right?**” Saphenous got up on the couch beside us, “ **right mr. hot topic mannequin?** ”

              “I SUPPOSE EVEN AN IDIOT IS CAPABLE OF BEING CORRECT SOMETIMES MR. HORROR MOVIE REJECT.” Cesar sneered back.

              “Don’t start fighting right now.” Babylon hit both of them in the arm, “I mean it!”

              “it’s okay bab. calm down.” Copper wriggled to get away from me. He seemed like he was back to being himself, but I…My grip tightened some. Copper gave me a look of waning patience, “i’m not about to fall apart. let go.”

              “Mmm….” I held him away from my chest slightly. He raised his eye brow up at me.

              “what? i told you i’m fine.” I leaned down and kissed the top of his head. He startled and ripped some small claw marks across my nose, “what the fuck?”

              “Hmmm…I suppose copying Olivia’s tactics won’t work…” I frowned and sat him down. Blood ran down my face, “I guess it’s a good thing I don’t wear white very often.”

              “MOTHER!” Cesar cracked a fist across the back of Copper’s head, “DO NOT STRIKE AT MOTHER YOU IGNORANT PIT RAT.”

              “the fuck did you just call me?” Copper snarled.

              “Dad. Cesar.” Babylon whined.

              “ **enough.** ” Saphenous yawned. Faster than Cesar or Copper could react, they found themselves tangled up in Saphenous’s fingers, “ **you two really start to bug me when you get pissy with each other.** ”

              “HEY!”

              “put me down!”

              “Oh for the love of…” Babylon sat down and glared up at where the two bitties fumed silently.

              “Nadia?” Josephine called out to me.

              “Did you locate your bitty?” I turned my attention away from my bitties.

              “I did. He’s not happy about this at all, but he’s promised to not hurt Copper. Your bitty just needs to not wear what he called “ring attire” or anything that looks too close to it.” Josephine sighed, “Sunshine didn’t exactly have a great reaction himself in all honesty…”

              “I love how everything is fine with Willoughby, but my bitty gets treated like shit.” I observed the double standard with barbs in my words.

              “You can’t be that fucking stupid Nadia. The difference is more than a little obvious. Willoughby was a prize bitty that never hurt a fly. Copper was a fighter bitty during one of the dark hour slots. Of course Raze would be hesitant to let him around his kid.” Josephine reminded me of a mother trying to explain something to an annoying child, “He and Sunny will calm down after they get to know him, but you’d have to be the dumbest bitch alive to think that they’d all just magically get along.”

              “I suppose.” That didn’t make me any less angry, “Anyways, I’m glad we sorted this out before someone got hurt.”

              “Yeah.” Josephine yawned, “I’ve gotta finish working. I’ll see you in a couple of days.”

              “Very well then.”

              We hung up at the same time.

              “Copper?” I questioned the brassberry who was spitting insults at a rather smug looking Saphenous while struggling to get out of his bindings, “What is ring attire?”

              “it’s the costumes they’d make us wear.” Copper panted some, going somewhat limp with exhaustion. _He should be resting right now in all honesty._ Copper cleared his throat and added, “it means i can’t wear anything black, leather, or studded. i can see why though. it’d probably set his mate off into a panic attack.”

              “YOU’VE MET BOTH OF THEM BEFORE OUTSIDE OF FIGHTING?” Cesar, who had long since just begun to wait for Saphenous to put him down, cocked his head.

              “we’re given some free roam. they know we’d all go feral otherwise, but i don’t know them in the way you’re thinking. it was mostly just quiet glaring from across a small space.” Copper began to gnaw on the red appendages wrapped around him.

              “ **ow. that hurts.** ” Saphenous said dully.

              “then puff mah doffn.” Copper growled.

              Saphenous pulled away from the both of them.

              “MMM…” Cesar stretched and promptly crawled onto my lap, “YOU.” He pointed at me.

              “Me?” I pointed to myself. Saphenous climbed back down my leg to mess with my toes. Babylon zeroed in on helping his father sit up again, “What about me?”

              “GIVE ME ONE TOO.” Cesar pointed to the top of his head.

              “What?” I asked incredulously, “You…” A wry smile accompanied the realization, “…You’re jealous.”

              “I AM NOT.” Cesar puffed off, “I AM ENSURING THAT YOU DO NOT FAVOR ONE BITTY OVER THE REST.”

              “ **that kind of sounds like jealousy to me.** ” Saphenous chimed in.

              “SHUT UP.” Cesar barked at him.

              “You really want a kiss Cesar?” I teased him. He scowled and nodded, “Very well then.” I gingerly kissed the top of his head as well, “Happy now?”

              “HMPH.” Cesar stalked off of my lap to begin working more.

              I began to giggle. Copper and Babylon both gave me weirded out looks.

              “you sound like a dying duck.” Copper answered my unasked question.

              “Dad!” Babylon swatted his dad’s shoulder, “That’s rude to say.”

              “it’s true though.” Copper shrugged.

              “I suppose that’s better than being compared to a witch.” My phone began to ring on my lap, “Who is calling me this late at night?” I didn’t recognize the number. _A business associate perhaps._ I pulled back up the walls of ice around my heart and answered the phone, “Hello?”

              “Hi Nadia!” The energetic voice of my new coworker blasted in my ear.

              “Um….hello Daniella.” My bitties looked up at me thoroughly confused. I shrugged, “Did you need something? Are you being stonewalled?”

              “It’s nothing business related!” Daniella laughed, “I just finally found your number. You said that you stay up late to work a lot, so I hoped to catch you.”

              “I see.” The worry that had built up in my chest doubled instead of dying out. _What is she planning? Did one of the others put her up to this?_ My mind raced with potential pranks and possible misleading facts she could be about to present me with. One shark doesn’t trust another simply because it’s smaller and still has its baby fangs.

              “You’re going out of town soon right?” Daniella questioned me while taking the slurp of whatever drink she had on hand. The sound was aggravating.

              “I am. Berken’s already given me approval.” I tapped my fingers in an irritated rhythm across my thigh. _What’s your endgame?_

              “I was wondering if you were going to bring anything to the people you’re visiting. There’s this _super_ cute and awesome treat shop I know about if you need a gift.” Daniella began to type on a keyboard. _Does she actually have **me** on speakerphone? _

              I debated on what I should say. In the end, I thought about what my sisters would end up saying to me. Josephine would tell me to be skeptical and watch my back, but Olivia would insist and insist that I give the girl a chance. There were no obvious downsides to letting her take me to a sweet shop to pick something up for my sisters. The two both enjoyed sweet things. Bringing a gift might even help smooth things over with the bitties.

              “MOTHER.” Cesar whisper yelled to get my attention, “YOU’VE BEEN QUIET 74 SECONDS.”

              “Nadia?” Daniella sounded a little disappointed, “I’m sorry. Am I bothering you? My sister said that I was probably being too pushy, but I really wanted to maybe get to know you better. You seem so lonely in the office- just working the day away occasionally talking with your uh…I can’t remember what they’re called….those cute little guys you bring with you.”

              “It’s alright.” The words surprised me. _Am I actually about to do this?_ My fingernails dug into my thigh painfully, “I was just caught off guard. Very few people approach me about leisure activities.” _Am I lonely though?_ I looked down at my bitties and smiled when I noticed that Babylon had edged closer. He subtly pushed at my acrylic finger nails, trying to dislodge them from my leg. I poked at his cheek playfully. He jumped back and blushed bright pink, “Where is this sweet shop you mentioned at? My sisters would probably enjoy such a gift. By the way, the term is ‘bitty’. I bring my bitties to work with me.”

              “Bitty!” Daniella snapped her fingers, “Funnily enough, the sweet shop is close to the Bitty Care Center. I thought the little guys looked familiar.” She laughed genuinely, “What day are you heading up to visit your sisters?”

              “I’m leaving in three or so days…so…Thursday more than likely.” _Assuming I don’t have to push it back because of Stevie’s incompetence._

              “Oh great! I start late on Thursdays.” Daniella paused, “I start late on Tuesday and Thursdays because I need to take my kids to school. My husband does it the rest of the week though. They’d probably love to stop by a sweet shop on our way there….if you don’t mind children.”

              _~~Greyson~~_

              “I don’t have any problem with children.” I assured her, “They aren’t my favorite thing in the world, but I don’t detest them.”

              “Oh good.” She sighed in relief, “They won’t be any trouble I promise! What time should we meet up?”

              We spent the next five or so minutes discussing a time and place to meet up. Thankfully, one of her children- her older daughter- sought out her attention. _I never realized that she had children…she looks so young._  I hung up my phone and stared down at it like it had offended me.

              “ **hey….what’s wrong?** ” Saphenous poked my leg to get my attention.

              “I haven’t ‘hung out’ with anyone willingly in…decades.” Obviously, I had dealt with the stray gala and party under my parents’ orders. I had even had a ‘clique’ in high school that worshiped the ground I walked on, “This will be new.”

              “it’s that super bubbly girl from work right?” Copper asked.

              “She is…Though I’d find it hard to call a mother a ‘girl’….” I put my phone aside and stared at the mountain of paperwork I had before me, “Anyways, we’re going to stop by a sweet shop before we head to Grayridge.”

              “Can we get snacks too?” Babylon cocked his head.

              “If you would like something in the store, you just have to ask for it.” I dragged my laptop onto my lap, “However, we have to get to Thursday first.”

              I also needed to get pepper spray just in case this was some twisted joke on Daniella’s part.

              _Perhaps I should ask Josephine to show me some of her typical defensive maneuvers…._


	7. Julius

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch1
> 
> Some may say that Julius's introduction is a bit rushed, but so is Nadia. She has to get to Grayridge after all. Not much time for thinking. I promise we'll go more in Julius's backstory next chapter (he's actually mostly a foil for Raze. He's a stereotypical edgy with an attitude while Raze is well...sad former gangster dad that struggles to keep living on the straight and narrow :P) I also have 2 tests to morrow ^.^ Someone plz kill me :D  
> Anyways, onto more positive things. Rajani_the_Freak (the creator of the Undyne, Alphys, Toriel, and Asgore bitties I use) did some amazing fan art of Jo and her bitties! You can find the link to the image here: http://septragirl.deviantart.com/art/Gift-for-kissxsleep-on-AO3-656597057  
> ALSO! I'm working on a new project on the side. It'll be original content, but if you're curious about it, I sometimes update on it on tumblr. I won't be releasing anything until I have a good portion of the images for the chapters drawn and colored AND the chapters themselves written. Don't worry. This won't overtake my work on my bitty bones stories. I'm mostly focusing on the drawings right now.

_This is ridiculous._

              I examined myself in the mirror over and over, finding new flaw after new flaw. The outfit I wore was either the seventh or eighth one I had put on that morning, and I still wasn’t satisfied with it. A normal person might believe going through nearly ten outfits just to meet someone, pick up candy, and visit my family was a bit ridiculous. Perhaps it was…..but…

              _~~She’s younger than you. Prettier too…~~_

              “Such sentiments are ridiculous.” I grumbled to myself as I began to tug the outfit off, “That is not the true issue here…what….what is though?”

              “You want to look nice because you’re meeting someone casually for the first time in…what….years?”

              I stumbled and banged my knee against my dresser. Biting back a slew of unprofessional and unladylike curses, I looked over my shoulder to find Babylon sitting on my bed. The young, rather naïve bitty had somehow hit the nail on the head and ticked me off in the same few heartbeats. It was rare to see him away from his father’s side. _Have I really made them wait this long?_

              “Babylon, what are you doing in here?” I managed to keep my voice neutral, “I thought your father was resting in the living room. Didn’t you need to bandage up and brace his spine?”

              “I already did.” Babylon yawned, “He’s napping right now. Cesar and Saphenous were getting worried though, so I came in here to see what was taking you so long.”

              “Cesar and Saphenous actually showed concern?” I snorted and raised a disbelieving brow.

              “Not in the usual way of course.” Babylon scratched his chin, “Cesar’s started pacing on and growling at the coffee table. Saphenous keeps peeping in here to check on you and has carved a shit ton of tally marks into the floors- I think he’s been keeping track of minutes.” Babylon looked at the discarded clothing on my bed, “I can get being a bit nervous Nadia, but this is a little silly…the girl isn’t going to judge you. I pretty sure she practically worships you.”

              “I find that hard to believe.” I crossed my arms defiantly. My stretchmarks were glinting in the light of the room, reminding me of my shame. I dropped my arms down to block them from Babylon’s view, “Everyone judges everyone else. We judge appearance, way of speech, mannerisms. This allows us to scratch the surface of the person in front of us, and we then decide whether or not we wish to learn more about them. Trust me when I say I know that process very well.”

              The careful mask my parents cultivated for me had been built on that very idea. They wanted to make me appealing, mysterious, and charming- the right kind of alluring that didn’t depend on lust. It took me years to perfect the way I carried myself, and those years defined the typical situation I would be in. A CEO is expected to be crisp, clean, and organized everywhere. They go to galas, meetings, and the occasional brunch to discuss business plans with someone just as powerful as they were. The irresponsible ones would go to crazy parties or pick up hookers from the streets. I was taught that irresponsibility meant losing my right to the CEO position.

              …but…

              I wasn’t a CEO anymore. Like any other office grunt, I only held a modicum of power that had to be desperately clung to. I wasn’t important enough to go to galas or meet higher ups of other companies anymore. I would never be welcome at formal events or openings or private yacht parties to curry favor with me because I no longer had any real power. Instead, the strict, orderly events where a plastic smile and perfect outfit were key were replaced by casual trips together or sharing lunch over a desk or “going out with the girls” or going out for a drink.

              How do you tell order to let loose? How do you command a tight spine to relax?

              _This is maddening._

              “Daniella already has a first impression of you.” Babylon’s words finally began to filter through my metal block, “She seems to think you’re a respectable person that she wants to be friends with. Honestly, you could probably show up in jeans and a t-shirt, and she wouldn’t care.”

              “I don’t own a pair of jeans or a t-shirt.” I gritted out. _Did I take my medication? I think I did. I need to check._

              “Nadia.” Babylon sighed, “We’ve got ten minutes until we’re supposed to meet her.”

              _Ten…minutes?_

_Have I seriously been trying on outfits and make-up for the past hour and forty-five minutes?!_

              “Why didn't you say that sooner!?” I scrambled to pull on the outfit I had just tugged off. It matched my make-up perfectly, so it would have to do, “We’re going to be late at this rate. Is everyone ready? Where are my things? I can’t be late. That would be rude.” I quickly grabbed all of the contents of my purse. _I’m so glad that I sent my suitcase ahead with Sans when he dropped by the visit that friend of his earlier this week._

              “You were mumbling like a crazy woman and glaring at the floor.” Babylon shrugged. He didn’t bite me when I picked him up and put him on my shoulder, “What was I supposed to do? Go get some pans and beat them together?”

              “Yes!” I almost stepped on Saphenous when I exited my room. Plucking him up from the ground and tossing him on top of my head, I called out, “Copper! Cesar! Where are you two?”

              “MOTHER?” Cesar frowned up at me, “WE’RE-“

              “Running behind. I know.” I picked up Copper and put him on my shoulder. The somewhat sleepy brassberry shot me a look of mild concern and confusion. I didn’t have the time to explain myself, “We need to hurry.” I picked Cesar up and held him like child would hold their teddy bear, “For the love of…”

              “ **you aren’t wearing shoes.** ” Saphenous noted when I got to the front door.

              “ _Shit._ ” I mumbled in French. Cursing in a broken mixture of French, Italian, Russian, and Chinese I found a rather ugly pair of black pumps and decided to just go for it. Looking horrendous would be preferable to being late, “ _I bet Josephine’s bitties keep her time managed properly. Not me though. **No**. I get the bitties who wait until 10 minutes before I’m supposed to meet up with someone to tell me that I’m running behind. Is this some kind of karmic justice for my wrongs fate?” _

              “She’s speaking in a funny language.” Babylon mused as I locked the door and practically flew down the hallway.

              “ACTUALLY, SHE’S SPEAKING IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.” Cesar sighed, noticing my lapse into anxiety, “THIS IS GOING TO BE MORE OF A TRIAL THAN I EXPECTED.”

              _I should probably be offended by that…_

              There wasn’t enough time for offense to kick in though. I had to make a twenty minute walk in six minutes, and that was pretty much impossible. _Hopefully she’ll be forgiving if I’m only a couple of minutes late._ Familiar shards of paranoia began to eat at my stomach. I could remember the threats my parents would whisper into my ear if I were late to _anything._ The mere thoughts alone were enough to make me worry despite the fact my parents hadn’t surfaced in nearly a year. They were my boogeymen, my nightmare, my ghosts. Their words haunted my dreams. Their images stitched themselves onto my eyelids. Their skewed morals and perspectives grappled with my new found sense of…intimate honor? It was one thing to be honorable and civil for business practices, but private situations had always been fair game for their manipulation.

              _This is…going to be so strange._

              I was- regrettably- four minutes late. Daniella stood with two children- one boy, one girl- holding her hands and behaving rather well. The two were surprisingly more placid than their bubbly mother, and they must have heard her describe me because they spotted me first. Daniella beamed and nodded me over with her head.

              “Miss Newmore!” She greeted me warmly, “I’m glad you could make it.”

              “I apologize for being late.” I felt Saphenous slide down the side of my neck to get onto my shoulder. It tickled a little, so I had to choke back a chuckle, “I ran into a few issues this morning. I hope you can forgive me.”

              “Trust me when I say waiting an extra four minutes isn’t a big deal.” Daniella laughed, “Anyways, Brandon, Ami this is Miss Newmore. You’ve heard me mention her before?”

              “Hello.” The little boy held his hand out to me. I shook it more than a little dazed. _I wonder how Greyson will grow up to be…_ An image of a striking businessman crawled across my mind before the reality came forth. _He’ll probably end up being a mini Josephine._ “I’m Brandon. That’s Ami, but she’s really shy, so she doesn’t talk to people much. Sorry about that.”

              “It’s alright.” I cleared my throat awkwardly. I tried my best to smile for the small girl, “It’s nice to meet you Ami.” The girl waved at me just a little bit before hiding behind her mother’s skirts.

              “She’s a real chatter box when she gets relaxed.” Daniella sighed fondly, bending down to kiss the top of her daughter’s head, “Anyways, let’s head to the sweet shop. I already promised the two of them a treat for them to eat during lunch.”

              “Sweets…” Babylon made a soft sound of excitement.

              “not too much.” Copper warned me, tugging on my pearl earring, “he’ll be bouncing off the walls otherwise.”

              “I will not.” Babylon pouted.

              “ **you will.** ” Saphenous mused, “ **you always do whenever you have too much sugar.** ”

              “HE’S NOT A CHILD.” Cesar rolled his eyes.

              “Thank you!” Babylon glowered at his father.

              “bits…” Ami stared up at my bitties while we walked. _Oh thank goodness none of them are cursing like usual._ I guessed even they knew when to keep dirty words to themselves, “…cute…”

              “i am not cute.” Copper grumbled.

              “WAS I JUST CALLED CUTE?” Cesar got genuinely offended.

              “ **…your little girl is a bit twisted isn’t she?** ” Saphenous peered down at her curiously.

              Thankfully, Daniella just found that funny- like my bitties were telling a joke…..I don’t think she realized they were being _quite_ serious. _Perhaps that is for the best…._

              The sweet shop that she led me to- some frilly place Olivia would salivate over- practically exploded with rainbow colors and different types of treats. There was everything from apples dipped in a variety of things to foreign treats that I couldn’t even begin to recognize. The entire building smelled a little too sugary in my opinion, and I wondered if they had anything gluten free. I had cut gluten out of my diet about ten years prior. Thus, ingesting any of it would result in a trip to the ER. _I also need to keep nuts away from me._ That kind of mistake would result in a permanent residence in a coffin. _It would kill Josephine too._

              There was _one_ tiny thing killing the mood.

              “That _thing_ is horrible for business!” A beady eyed woman shrieked at an old man. The old man stood protectively in front of a short, tubby edgy that snarled at the woman around the old man’s arm, “He won’t wear anything but black, he eats a huge portion of our products, and he’s _running off customers_!”

              “But Darla says that she can’t take care of him anymore.” The old man protested, coughing a little bit, “It’s not his fault. He’s family though.”

              “Family my ass! He’s worse than a pet dog.” The woman swatted at the pompous edgy. The little shit bit down her hand. She yelled out in pain and displeasure, “I’m giving you one option dad. Get rid of that _thing,_ or I’m walking! I refuse to sit here and watch this business sink because you’re too busy trying to pretend that he’s the son/grandson you never had.” The woman stamped off.

              The old man sighed and began another coughing fit.

              “old man.” The edgy kicked at his arm, “you’re not about to drop dead on me are ya?”

              “It’ll take more than a simple cold to knock me out.” The old man wheezed. His eyes dimmed a little bit, “I don’t know what I’m going to do about this though….”

              “Um…Excuse me?” Daniella called out, “Is this a bad time?”

              The old man perked up immediately. He beamed at all of us in the door way while the edgy beside him scowled. I could practically see plans to get us out of the store running across the bitty’s face. _A little bit selfish perhaps? It’s little wonder that the woman is growing frustrated with him._

              “Of course not!” The man waved us over, “Please, come in. Look around and see if something catches your eye. Let me know if you have any questions.”

              “Thank you.” Daniella smiled and nodded for me to begin to look around. I instead approached the counter.

              “Tell me, are there any areas of this store where no nut products or gluten were used at all?” I asked him, “My sister and I are deathly allergic to nuts. A simple chip of an almond would probably kill us. “

              “Oh?” The old man gestured to a corner in the right side of the store, “Those are our gluten free products. I can show you the ones that-“

              The edgy tried to bite me- emphasis on _tried_. Cesar had slammed a bone into the side of his head before he could lock down on me. Instead of fighting to keep Cesar in my arms, I let the boss slide down onto the counter. The edgy snarled and stood up from where he had been knocked flat on his back.

              “who the fuck do you think you are?” He spat.

              “SOMEONE YOU DON’T WANT TO CROSS.” Cesar rapped a long bone against the counter, “HOW DARE YOU TRY TO BITE MY MOTHER…”

              “ **hmph.** ” Saphenous climbed down to stand a little ways behind Cesar. He snarled at the puffed up edgy, “ **you’re a troublemaker aren’t you**?”

              “Julius!” The old man sighed, putting a hand down to separate the agitated bitties. He looked up at me sadly, “I’m sorry he’s provoking your bitties.”

              “Don’t worry.” I leaned against the counter and tapped the tops of Cesar and Saphenous’s heads, “These two are a bit temperamental.” Copper fumed on my shoulder, “This one would probably be down there too, but he’s crippled.”

              “excuse me?” Copper tugged on my ear.

              “It’s true though.” Babylon extended his arm out to keep his father from falling off of my shoulder.

              “Is he causing problems for you?” I dared to reach out and press my finger down on top of Julius’s head. He snapped at my fingers, but I expertly dodged them, “He seems like quite the little mess maker…”

              “My oldest daughter just doesn’t like him…He is causing a couple of problems with that attitude of his.” The old man glowered down at him. Julius actually stuck his tongue out at him. _Well, he’s far from grateful…_ “I don’t know what I’m going to do with him.”

              “i say dump him in the nearest trash can.” Copper said flatly.

              “wanna come down here and say that to my face jackass!?” Julius pushed past the old man’s hand only to be blocked by a hostile looking Saphenous, “you want to go too?”

              “ **not particularly….you’re annoying though.** ” Saphenous actually poked at his cheek with one of his bladed fingers. Julius moved to the side, “ **how did you even get adopted? this darla must be an ‘m’….”**

“where the hell did you-“ Copper cut himself off and face palmed, “i don’t care. i really don’t. what i do care about is that tone you’re taking nadia.”

              “What tone?” I forced sugary innocence into my voice. The rest of the bitties noticed my change in attitude, “I was just thinking about offering to take this little rascal out of his hands since he’s such a troublemaker. Having one person to hate might make you all get along better.” I mused while my bitties all made faces of disgust and “are you kidding me?”

              “ **please no.** ” Saphenous recoiled away from the edgy.

              “MOTHER, YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS.” Cesar rested his forehead against the bone spear he had in his hands.

              “I am serious.” I enjoyed their torment- just a little bit.

              “You are such a sadist.” Babylon sighed.

              “Mhm.” I nodded and looked at the man, “Well? Would that solve your problems?” My actual reason for wanting to take the unruly edgy came out, “You’ll probably end up abandoning him if you daughter doesn’t outright sell him. He’ll end up in a fighting ring to be tortured for the rest of his existence if that happens. I don’t want to see that happen to any bitty.” The scars of Copper, Babylon, Willoughby, Raze, and Sunshine were more than enough to encourage this sentiment. If the edgy proved to be too terrible for my bitties to handle, I could probably dump him on Josephine for a couple of weeks to let him understand what true hell was like- _a cherry with a pair of scissors_.

              “You’d be willing to do something like that?” The old man looked hopeful, “I’ve had a couple of these shady guys start showing up offering me money for him, and my daughter is pressing me to sell him…”

              “THEY’RE WITH A FIGHTING RING.” Cesar cut a dark look at Julius. Then he looked up at me, “ARE WE REALLY GOING TO?”

              “Would you rather another bitty end up in a fighting ring?” I cocked my head. Even Copper’s grumbling protests had gone silent. Saphenous sulked around my wrist, biting my hand reproachfully, but not ripping out chunks of me, “I’ll take your silence as ‘no mommy’ and go from there.”

              “ **i do not call you mommy.** ” Saphenous bit me harder.

              “excuse you?” Copper hit my neck, “the only one here who gets a hard bone for terms for a mom is cesar.”

              “EXCUSE _YOU_?” Cesar turned his irritated eye towards the injured bitty.

              “you’re a bunch of weirdos. gramps, you ain’t seriously going to let me go with them?” Julius protested.

              He did end up going with a bunch of weirdos. True, he had duct tape wound around his mouth, but he still left with us.  

              My bitties were still annoyed with me about the new irritant in their life. They refused to properly say good-bye to Daniella and her children until I threatened to throw their snacks into a nearby river. After that, they fell back into moody silence.

              “Honestly…” I sighed, “You lot are terrible.”

              _In reality though…_

              Even after I had reported that one woman from the BCC to the cops, there were still way too many active bitty fighting rings in Greenridge for me to leave one of their potential victims behind. No one deserved to go through that hell- even a puffed up jackass edgy like Julius.

              “I do hope you can behave Julius.” I told the bitty aloud, “Unless you want to end up on the bad end of a blade…” Julius growled something at me.

              _He’s going to be a handful._

              I wouldn’t come to regret impulsively adopting him however- despite his failings.

              He would always be a bit of a jackass though.

              _Typical._


	8. A Not So Pleasant Introduction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch1
> 
> A couple of things I need to announce:  
> 1) All work on side content will be ceased at this point beyond outlining and concepts. I'm putting all of my focus into the Newmore storyline, so I'm not going to keep dividing my focus. I will do side content once I feel like the story has moved to a point where it can rest for a bit while I write the side stories. (I *do* have ideas though- and vague concepts for characters)  
> 2) I'm going to be treating the rest of January (now-31st) as kind of a breather period. Real life is being a bitch right now, and I need to hammer out more in terms of where I want this story to go before I feel like I'll be ready to launch a fully storyline. Burned will still be updated every Wednesday though. February looks like it's going to be the month of Nadia right now though. (Also, if you were here when Found was being actively updated, you know how frequently I updated. That wasn't exactly healthy of me, so I'm trying to find a happy medium right now.)  
> 3) In regards to the Addendum, I will let the prompts stack up until I get around 5-9 to work on, then sit down one Sunday and write them out. They tend to not take too long to write, so I'm just setting aside a day to do the writing.
> 
> SO! All of that aside, I'm going to try and get another chapter of Burned up today. (My heart hopes for 2, but my brain just laughs at that idea) Thus, I'll- hopefully- see you guys in a couple of hours. :)

              “ooii..” Julius, who had finally worked his way free of the duct tape, kicked at my coffee in the cup holder. The cup was empty enough that none splashed out onto me, “take me back home. now.”

              “UNLESS YOU’VE FORGOTTEN-“ Cesar grabbed the edgy by his hood and yanked him back onto the passenger seat where all of my bitties were sitting. Well, Saphenous was clinging to the side of it out of silent protest about the new family member, “-YOU WERE ESSENTIALLY EVICTED FOR SUCH POOR BEHAVIOR.”

              “get your hands off of me.” Julius tugged his hood back from Cesar. The little idiot almost tumbled off of the passenger seat.

              “You’re going to fall you dunce.” Babylon grumbled while double checking his father’s bandages, “You can’t harass the driver of the car, or you’ll end up making us wreck.”

              “don’t tell me what to do brat.” Julius spat back. Cesar cracked him across the back of his head, “you…”

              “I AM LITERALLY THREE WORDS AWAY FROM DUSTING YOU.” Cesar grabbed his collar and clinked their foreheads together, “IT IS BAD ENOUGH THAT I HAVE TO DEAL WITH _THOSE TWO_.” Cesar’s eyes cut across Saphenous and Copper, “I DO NOT NEED YOU ADDING TO MY PROBLEMS YOU EGOTISTICAL CHIHUAHUA.”

              “what’d you just call me?” Julius tried to bite Cesar’s face.

              “WHAT YOU ARE!” Cesar looked ready throw him out the car window.

              “enough.” Copper griped, “we’ve got more immediate concerns.”

              The brassberry’s pale eyes trailed across Julius’s “edge lord” ensemble with visible distaste marring his face. The overweight edgy was dressed from head to toe in black. His jacket looked like a goth biker gave it to him, and his torn jeans had dozens of spiked chains hanging from the black, studded belt. All in all, he would look rather sinister if he didn’t resemble a baseball in shape.

              “what? now you’re going to fashion police me?” Julius stepped forward, “got a problem with my style cripple.”

              “i don’t give a fuck what you wear.” Copper made a move to stand up, but Babylon was faster in keeping him held down, “the issue is that razor’s already going to be on edge because _i’m_ there. he’ll blow his top seeing an edgy looking like that.”

              “ **he did say that copper couldn’t wear all black.** ” Saphenous added, “ **does our balloon look like he belongs in a fighting ring?** ”

              “if he were more emaciated looking and had a few scars, i’d say he be from one of the prime time hours.” Copper rolled his shoulders experimentally after Babylon tugged the gray sweater he wore back down, “that’s going to be a problem.”

              “just because you lot-“ All of my bitties weren’t wearing black due to Raze’s warning, “- have decided that black is a _wooo scawey colah_ , doesn’t mean i’m going to walk around in that shit.” The edgy pointed to the pale pink suit that Cesar wore.

              “WE’LL JUST LET RAZE KILL HIM.” Cesar declared, moving to sit down near the edge of the seat to stretch his legs out.

              “agreed/ **mhm**.” Copper and Saphenous replied at the same time.

              “excuse you!?” Julius began to practically froth at the mouth as I pulled up to a red light.

              _Dear me…_ I reached over and picked him up- barely- with one hand. _I think he’s the loudest one I’ve adopted so far._

              “hey! put me down!” Julius snapped at my fingers in vain.

              “You’re just going to end up getting yourself hurt.” I rested my elbow on the center console and drove my car with one hand, “My other bitties only have so much patience.”

              “i ain’t _your_ bitty.” Julius growled.

              “Technically, you are.” I didn’t really care about his open hostility. Humans and monsters had treated me far worse, “I know you are not _happy_ with this arrangement, but you will just have to learn how to live with it.”

              “pft. like hell i will. you’re just going to dump me on the side of the road once i become too much of a pain in the ass to deal with.” Julius continued to try and snap at my hand, “humans always do that- no exceptions.”

              “Then I take it that sweet shop wasn’t your first home?” _One must understand where someone comes from to understand their mind._ Knowing a person’s background was much more useful than knowing their likes or dislikes.

              “nope, and you won’t be my last.” Julius managed to keep a cocky tone, but there was a slight sense of defeat on the edges of his words.

              “It’s easy to see why people wouldn’t want to deal with that attitude of yours.” Babylon, who had climbed on my center console to turn the heat up some, didn’t even flinch when Julius snarled directly at him, “I know you’re an edgy, so an attitude problem is kind of a given. You’re too much of a bastard though. People will only put up with so much.”

              “i don’t need a kid lecturing me.” Julius hissed.

              “THEN QUIT ACTING LIKE ONE YOURSELF.” Cesar stood up and took Babylon from the center console. Somehow, Cesar missed the hybrid’s flustered face at being manhandled, “HONESTLY. LEAVE THE IDOT TO GET HIMSELF KILLED BABYLON. SOME PEOPLE AREN’T WORTH SAVING.”

              “Please put me down.” Babylon was an _interesting_ shade of pink.

              “hey, don’t treat my son like he’s some kind of body pillow.” Copper gestured for the boss to return his son to his side, “c’mere kid.”

              “you are all so _fucking weird._ ” Julius finally managed to wriggle himself down enough to chomp down on my hand. It hurt, but it wasn’t any worse than Saphenous snapping at me, “what the fuck are you made out of!? ice?”

              “ **depends on who you ask.** ” Saphenous stayed on the edge of the seat, away from the other bitties like usual.

              The rest of the car ride consisted of similar conversations. Julius- careful to not let too much vulnerability about the sore parts of his past- continued to rail on and on, trying to inflate his own ego himself while I had to lock the windows of the car to keep my other bitties from doing anything drastic. Eventually, the edgy began to realize that his words weren’t hurting anyone. They just ticked people off. Julius fell into a sulky, grumbling silence after that realization. The new found lack of noise in the car made the rest of my bitties relax a little bit.

              A castle of skyscrapers surrounded by moats of suburban paradises and ghettos appeared in the distance, shadowed by the sun setting to the right of it. It twinkled with unnatural light and had a permanent neon glow at its core. This was the city where the ambitious went to climb and the lackluster went to toil. There wasn’t an open and shut caste system- not in this day and age. There was however an understanding that the workaholics thrived in that concrete jungle. For decades, it had been the place I called home. Greenridge- with its beige and red brick builds- seemed like a colored, smaller mockery of the brilliant, somber sanctuary I came from…but….then again, I was a little biased.

               “Home.” I breathed quietly. Julius glared at the horizon.

              “that shithole is where you’re from?” He gave me a flat look. I should’ve been insulted, but I just felt more pride grow in my chest.

              “Yup.” I finally sat the edgy down on the seat. Copper immediately picked Babylon up and moved him to his other side. The hybrid fussed at his father for straining his back. The parent just glowered at the grumbling edgy, “It’s also where we will be staying for the next six days.” Where we would be staying _at_ …was still a bit questionable. Josephine had kept me in the dark, so I didn’t have an exact location. We were all meeting at the home she shared with her monster for dinner though. I would find out then.

              Why Josephine had chosen to not find another apartment was beyond me. Contrary to what she might’ve thought, there were plenty of apartments that would love to have a resident who could do all of the things she could. As a jack of all trades, Josephine could update their software, keep their halls painted beautifully, and keep their plumping and electrical wiring up to date. She didn’t need to downgrade into the condo that she and Sans chose to live in. While it did have a nice backyard and more than enough room for them _now_ , it would be painfully small once the twins arrived…or…not?

              There was a gaping hole in the top of the house. Josephine and Asgore worked side by side extending the attic out to form…another room perhaps? _Does she intend to make this house a two story?_ I wouldn’t put it past her.

              I parked my car behind Asgore’s massive truck and stared up at the two idiots for a couple of seconds. Josephine was starting to show the faintest signs of pregnancy. Her stomach protruded more than it used to through her tank top, but she had always been rather stocky. Thus, most wouldn’t notice the difference. Sans-however- definitely showed the signs of a worried father to be. He and some of her bitties sat out on the front lawn looking more than ready to catch anything- or reckless individual- who fell from the shaky supports.

              “Nadia.” Olivia’s frame filled my window. She had a curious Greyson on her hip, “What are you doing sulking in your car silly. Come on out.” The false cheer my sister once had had disappeared during her growing relationship with the monster king. The sunshine in her smile no longer seemed as artificial, and she only seemed to be growing sweeter.

              “I was not sulking.” I opened the door, “I was marveling at the stupidity above me.” I pointed up to where Josephine and Asgore worked and chatted. _It appears that the king has Josephine’s stamp of approval…_

              “They’ve got to put the twins somewhere.” Olivia giggled, “Though, Greyson spends more time sleeping with them than in his own room…”

              “That is not what you’re supposed to do.” My brows furrowed. Olivia glanced back to make sure Sans wasn’t paying attention to us. He wasn’t. His gaze was focused solely on every motion Josephine made.

              “Monsters are a bit clingier to their mates and offspring than humans are.” Olivia explained, “They don’t actually have nurseries! They just leave the child’s room empty until they get old enough to want one.”

              _I guess years of war would ingrain a sense of urgent protection within a species._  Greyson stared at me, not a single flicker of recognition in his eyes. _I suppose I should see this as a good thing._

              “Wait a minute…” Olivia peered around me, “Oh my god Nadia! Why didn’t you _tell_ me you had new bitties!?”

              My attention turned to where my bitties had gathered on the other side of the center console. Cesar arrogantly rested against it without a care in the world with the other four openly gawked or analyzed my youngest sister.

              “I didn’t think about it I suppose.”

              “HEEEEY!” Josephine could still bellow, “The fuck you doing sulking in your car eh? Get out already, or I’ll throw a hammer through your windshield.”

              “Do that and I will press charges!” I snapped back at her. She actually stuck her tongue out at me, “Honestly.”

              “nadia?” Copper snapped his fingers to get my attention.

              “One moment.” I reached over and grabbed the box of sweets. I held it out to her by the string tied around it, “Can you take this?”

              “Sure.” Olivia took it from, “Ooohhh…sweets. Greyson’s going to have a lot of fun with these.”

              “please don’t give him too much.” Sans called out, “you’re not the one who has to stay up with him until he passes out.” A mischievous smile crawled across Olivia’s face, “i mean it olivia penelope.”

              “Ouch. Middle name.” Olivia winced as I gathered my bitties up. None of my new bitties understood my actual relationship to Greyson, so Cesar was the only one to pat my arm soothingly. Olivia turned her attention back to me and began to laugh, “You’re almost like Sissy now. You just need a hoodie and five more bitties.”

              “And a baby, and a massive swelling stomach!” Josephine called back, “Oh, and a paranoid scientist fiancé that literally won’t even let you shower by yourself.”

              “says the woman who’s tried to shower while tired and slid twice.” Sans retorted. Josephine opened her mouth, she there wasn’t anything she could really say in response, “asgore, please don’t let her fall. she’s getting real close to the edge.”

              “How long do monsters stay this clingy?” Josephine asked the smirking king.

              “For another three to four years. The intensity will tamp down once you’re no longer with child though.” Asgore patted her back.

              “Oh great…” Josephine rubbed her temples.

              “you know you love the attention!” Blake teased her from where he sat on Sans’s head.

              “for now maybe.” Waltzer mused, “she’s probably going to lock him in the cellar at some point.”

              “I’d help her.” Flowey and Snuggle were curled up in the flower bed with Snooze, reading a book happily.

              “both of you can try.” Sans shrugged before finally looking at Olivia and I, “you can go into the house if you want nadia. papyrus is making dinner with cyan, sunshine, and willoughby. idjit and december are keeping the bitty kids busy. i don’t know where the rest of the bitties are.”

              _In other words, you don’t know where Raze is at._ I nodded back at the short monster. _At least he’s warning me beforehand._

              Cesar, for the most part, was relaxed. Saphenous was as well. They didn’t have anything to really worry about after all. Julius moodily grumbled on my arms. Copper didn’t tremble on my shoulder. No, he was eerily still. Babylon, on the other hand, shook slightly while holding his statue still father.

              _This is going to be…rough._

              Olivia and I entered the house. True to Sans’s word, Idjit and December were looking after the young, bumbling bitty children. Tinsel, ever the energetic bundle of yellow flames, spotted my bitties and I long before any of the others did.

              “Auntie Nadia!” Tinsel waved and grinned at me, “You made it!”

              _Auntie…Nadia?_ I blinked. While Tinsel had been particularly affectionate to me, this was something new entirely. Lace and Atlantic, the stoic duo of the young trio, turned to look at me with blank faces. Lace waved a hand slowly to be polite, and Atlantic merely nodded his head in my direction.

              “h-he-el-l-l-lo na-a-adia.” Idjit’s eyes were trained on Cesar, who recoiled a little bit into my chest.

              “Hello Idjit.” I bent down to let my bitties get off. Saphenous was the first to jump off. He immediately slid over to the bitty children and looked them up and down, curious about their differences from Babylon, “Saphenous is curious. I hope you can forgive him.”

              “they…don’t seem to mind.” December tugged the old jacket of Idjit’s he always wore tighter around him, keeping his button eyes trained on the group of kids. December looked over at Babylon, “he’s young too?”

              “YES.” Cesar got down next, dragging a cranky Julius with him, “BABYLON IS COPPER’S- THE BRASSBERRY- SON. THIS IDIOT-“ Cesar held Julius up a little bit, “-IS JULIUS. HE’S NEW.”

              “Hm?” Tinsel peered around Saphenous to look at Babylon as the hybrid helped his father down, “Oh! Hi!” Tinsel walked right over to Copper and Babylon without a single care in the world, “It’s nice to meet you both.”

              “Your eye…” Babylon made a flickering gesture from one of his own eyes.

              “Not like you can talk much Mr. Half Skull.” Tinsel teased, “Daddy’s magic was too strong for Papa’s, so it’s always got burn out of me somehow.” Tinsel leaned his head down to the shorter bitty hybrid, “Wanna touch? It won’t hurt.”

              “tinsel.” Atlantic chided him from a distance, “personal space.” Neither he nor Lace really seemed to mind Saphenous poking and prodding at them however.

              “Ooohh….Sorry.” Tinsel pulled back and rubbed the back of his neck, “I got excited because we’re family now.”

              “Family?” Babylon cocked his head. Copper just continued to stare at him.

              “Well yeah. You’re Auntie Nadia’s bitties. That makes us bitty cousins by Granny’s standards. Oh right! You haven’t met Granny yet. She’s really nice and-“

              “Tinsel. Sweetheart there’s some extra chocolate if you want to-“ Sunshine halted the instant he stepped out of the kitchen and saw that my bitties and I were in the living room.

              “Sunny?” Olivia cocked her head while the ray’s eyes widened. His toes curled anxiously into the carpet as he stared Copper down, “Is something wrong?”

              “sUnShInE?” Willoughby waddled out of the kitchen, surprisingly…pregnant? _When did that happen?_ The blind bitty reached out for his friend, “yOu’Re TrEmBlInG…”

              “Nothing.” Sunshine wrapped his arms around, “It’s nothing…Hello again Copperhead…” Sunshine gritted his teeth once he noticed how close his son was to Babylon and Copper, “…I see you weren’t lying about having a son.”

              “i’m not going to hurt anybody.” Copper threw his hands up, “i swear.”

              “I know you won’t.” Sunshine’s small titter of laughter strained and frayed with slight madness. His voice went very quiet, “ **R _a_ z _e_ w _o_ u _l_ d _k_ i _l_ l _y_ o _u_ f _i_ r _s_ t**.”

              “Sunny!?” Olivia’s eyes widened.

              “fair enough.” Copper nodded.

              “Raze!” Sunshine called out, “Our guests are h-“ Sunshine finally spotted Julius.

              I could see the last thread of strength in him snap.

              “Tinsel…Atlantic…Lace” Sunshine’s voice was painfully quiet, “Come with me.”

              “Papa?” Tinsel immediately went to his father’s side. Atlantic and Lace followed confusedly. Sunshine grabbed the kids and Willoughby before hurrying off to find his mate, “Papa!?”

              “shit.” Copper cursed, glaring at Julius, “i knew his outfit would cause problems.”

              “what the fuck you going to do about it?” Julius spat.

              Raze stalked into the living room. He and Copper shared a quick look, but the larger, more “muscular” looking edgy had a different target.

              “you.” Raze growled, “change now.”

              “huh?” Julius cockily raised a brow, “or what? you’ll crack a rib?”

              “or i’ll fucking shatter your goddamn spine!” Raze’s eyes flared deep red. His deeper cuts and cracks burned with deep red energy.

              “oh really?” Julius wriggled free of Cesar’s grasp to step forward, his own eye flaring up.

              _Oh no._

              These two were about to fight, and if the faces of the bitties in the room were any indication, Julius was about to die.

              _Fuck. What do I do?_

              “Daddy!” Tinsel’s voice echoed down the hall, frantic, “Daddy! Papa’s really scared for some reason.”

              Raze hesitated- only for a moment. Reluctantly, he closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh.

              “comin’.” He called back.

              “huh?” Julius blinked, “you running you fucking coward?!”

              “fuck off kid, and you better borrow some of waltzer’s clothes.”

              _Oh thank goodness no one had to die right then._


	9. Aftermath of the Introduction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch1
> 
> and here is the second chapter for the day!  
> ALSO! I know a lot of people like to think that Grillby is older than Sans, but in my personal head cannon, he's actually younger than him. Thus, Grillby was 20 during patchwork and is 21 in the present moment.  
> yes this means Nadia is a total cougar :3

              Julius didn’t enjoy being wrangled into different clothing, and Waltzer’s spiteful insistence that he be placed in a neon pink, glittering hoodie didn’t help. Eventually, the grumpy edgy was squished into clothing that made him look less intimidating. I figured that it would probably be better to play things safe since Raze had looked ready to rip Julius apart, so my bitties and I made a hasty exit with our things and tracked down a hotel. Olivia hadn’t liked that idea at _all_. She insisted that I stay will her or Josephine. I’ll admit to a small part of me wanting to stay with her.

              Then I finally noticed the small, simple glint on her finger. The ring was a simple one- a small, heart shaped diamond with three, circular diamonds of decreasing size going down either end. The ring itself didn’t really mean anything. The finger it was on did. When I noticed the new addition to my sister’s accessories, I glanced over and saw that Asgore had a similar band.

              _Are you kidding me?_

              The bitter jackass in me saw the irony in my situation as  I fled my sisters and their warmth and their _happiness._ In less than three years, I had gone from the content- not happy, never happy- CEO in a picture perfect marriage while my sisters either didn’t date or bounced around unable to find a man to commit to into a businesswoman struggling to grasp what true friendship was. Hell…. _Could I even manage a relationship right now?_ My past experiences had never been positive. Edgar was sent straight from hell, and my dates before that point were all scripted periods of time where my parents selected a man for me to be involved with.

              _They’re both going to marry men who love them unconditionally._

Of course, my mind- ever the betrayer- went to the “why” and “how” relatively quickly. Guilt ripped at my chest as the horrible thoughts my parents programmed me to have left me trembling. My bitties, who were still trying to recover from that rough introduction themselves, didn’t notice my distress- thankfully. Copper took up most of their attention- deservedly so.

              “COME ON NOW.” Cesar, who had Julius in a headlock, nudged Copper with his foot, “NO NEED FOR THE PITIABLE EXPRESSION. THIS IDIOT WAS THE ONE WHO CAUSED TROUBLE.”

              “ **mmm…** ” Saphenous needed in agreement, not really interested in what was going on, but invested enough to weigh in a little bit.

              “yeah.” Copper scratched at his hands again, “true. his kid was surprisingly personable.”

              “He seemed that way at least.” Babylon agreed, tugging his father’s hands away from each other as best he could, “We probably won’t get to know him that well though.”

              “HMM….YES. CHANCES ARE SUNSHINE WILL KEEP HIS SON CLOSE THESE NEXT FEW DAYS.” Cesar agreed, “THOUGH WE ARE LEFT IN A BIT OF A PREDICAMENT…” Cesar looked down at the edgy chewing on his arm angrily, “…WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THIS IDIOT?”

              “ **i’m not babysitting him.** ” Saphenous quickly vacated the passenger seat and crawled onto my lap, “ **not a chance in hell.** ”

              “I don’t think he really needs a babysitter.” Since we were at a red light, I reached down with one hand to rub the back of Saphenous’s head, “Someone should probably make sure he doesn’t end up getting himself killed however.”

              “that’s babysitting.” Copper finally looked up from his lap to glare at the puffed up edgy, “you really need to learn when to keep your goddamn mouth shut kid. i’m fuckin’ surprised  you haven’t gotten yourself dusted yet.”

              “could say the same for you old man.” Julius spat back, “considering the fact you like to walk around like you’re hot shit and preach like you actually know shit.”

              “My father is a former fighting ring bitty.” Babylon darkened to a disturbing shade of indigo.

              “so fucking what?” Julius snorted.

              “SO, HE’S SEEN MORE THAN YOU COULD EVER DREAM OF.” Cesar tightened his head lock on the edgy, making Julius wheeze just to draw breath, “I SUPPOSE WE’LL HAVE TO START FROM THE BASICS WITH THIS ONE…NO CONCEPT OF RESPECT, SELF-PRESERVATION, OR DIGNITY….HMPH.”

              “fu…uhh…cckka…yee…uuhhh…” Julius tugged at his arm.

              “Don’t kill him Cesar.” I reprimanded the boss, “He’s young.”

              “ **the hybrid is more mature than he is, and i’m almost certain he’s the youngest one of the bunch.** ” Saphenous observed leaning into my touch and growling when I had to put both hands on the wheel once again.

              “Babylon has been through a lot however.” I reminded everyone, “No bullying Julius. Let him go Cesar.”

              Cesar reluctantly dropped the edgy. Julius coughed and gasped for air for a couple of seconds before snapping his fist up at Cesar’s jaw. The boss easily blocked the blow with one hand. Cesar batted Julius away and ended up dangling the edgy over the drop to the car floorboard.

              “YOU’RE TOO SLOW TO EVEN THINK ABOUT TRYING TO TAKE ME ON.” Cesar let go of his wrist.

              “ow! fuck!” Julius slammed against the floorboards and groaned.

              Cesar then sat down beside Babylon and looked up through the windshield at the sky. Babylon glanced up at the boss, blushing slightly before returning his attention this his father once more. My boss- who wouldn’t notice it if someone was attracted to him even if the person flat out _said_ it- merely kept his attention on the sky outside.

              “Was that really necessary?” I rubbed one of my temples. Saphenous, grouchy for whatever reason, crawled up my front and situated himself beside my neck. He nipped at me angrily before nuzzling close to my jugular, “Julius? Are you still conscious, or did you hit your head?”

              “i’m not made of fucking glass!” Julius hauled himself up on the passenger seat. For a minute, he ended up pedaling air because he couldn’t heft himself up far enough. _Why didn’t you just teleport you idiot? To prove a point? The only thing you’ve proven right now is that you definitely were spoiled too much by your previous owner._ Once he got back up on the seat, he flipped Cesar off and panted, “you’re gonna pay for this som-“ A bone made of deep purple flame knocked him back off of the seat again.

              “Babylon.” I chided the agitated hybrid gently.

              “He’s being a jackass.” Babylon spat towards the direction of where Julius had fallen, “Stay down there you idiot!”

              “bab..” Copper pinched his son’s cheek, “listen to nadia.”

              “Buh daahhhdd.” Babylon whined.

              “but nothing.” Copper popped the back of his head and glared at Cesar, “this is your doing.”

              “MY DOING? I HAVEN’T EVEN _DONE_ ANYTHING.” Cesar scoffed.

              “Oh great…” I grumbled, “…Now _they’re_ going to bicker.”

              “ **i think babylon might’ve knocked Julius out….** ” Saphenous informed me.

              “He probably did.” I closed my eyes momentarily before opening them to watch the road once more, “I just want to get to the hotel without having to vacuum my car…” I leaned my cheek against Saphenous’s head, “Saphenous? Please check on Julius?”

              “ **no.”** Saphenous growled.

              “Please?” I increased the sugary tone in my voice. Saphenous nipped at my ear a little before reluctantly crawling down to go check on the quiet bitty, “Thank you.”

              Julius had taken Babylon’s attack to the jaw apparently. There wasn’t any serious injury, but it had knocked the edgy out cold. Saphenous didn’t drag Julius up onto the passenger seat claiming that the edgy was too heavy. Thus, Julius spent the rest of the car ride unconscious on the car floorboards while Cesar and Copper bickered over an equally embarrassed and frustrated Babylon’s head.

              _Hmph…._ I glared at the gaudy hotel. Again, that small voice in my chest begged for me to return to my family, but the logical part of my brain knew that Sunshine and Raze and Willoughby needed to time to sit down and process these kinds of things. _…Well, at least none of them can complain that this place is cheap._

              “Hello ma’am.” One of the workers greeted me after I rolled down my window.

              “Where can I speak to someone about a valet?” I questioned him.

              “We can deal with that all right here.” The fake brightness in his smile was almost blinding.

              “Good.” I sighed and looked back down at my bites. I snapped my fingers once or twice to get their attention, “No more fighting while we’re interacting with people. You’ll scare the crowds.”

              “YES MOTHER.” Cesar said immediately.

              “what the fuck?” Copper looked ready to punch Cesar, “you’ll sit here and be a royal piece of shit to me for the past fifteen minutes, but turn around and just shut the fuck up for nadia because she asked!?”

              “WHAT FOOL WOULD DISOBEY THEIR MOTHER?” Cesar raised a brow before standing up and walking over to the edge of the passenger seat, “NOW…ARE WE GOING TO WAKE THIS IDIOT UP, OR JUST DRAG HIM INSIDE?”

              “i’m seriously going to kill you.” Copper lunged forward. Babylon leaned his entire weight against the brassberry to keep him from reaching the boss.

              “Uh…” The young man outside my car openly gawked at their antics.

              “Don’t worry.” I sighed, tapping a dozing Saphenous awake. The young man went another shade white once he noticed the slightly bloodstained, somewhat cranky about being woken up bloodyberry on my shoulder, “They won’t kill each other….maybe.”

              I don’t think I’ve ever had staff members so happy to help me get to my room. They all seemed more than a little disturbed at the sight of Cesar letting Julius dangle limply in his grip while the rest of my bitties just lounged around on my head and shoulders. My guess was that we probably looked like we honestly belonged to a bitty fighting ring, or that they were just so put out at the image of a bitty family that wasn’t all sunshines and rainbows.

              “Here’s your tip.” I handed the hotel worker a ten and shut the door on her face.

              _I’m done with people for now- more than done in all honesty._

              Now that I had a moment to actually sit down and think, a lot of the jealous thoughts from before came surging back. The guilt and jealousy roiling around in me forced me to slump onto the bed on my back and stare at the ceiling blankly. Julius, who had been dunked into an ice bucket until he woke up, was fuming at a rather placid Saphenous.

              “nadia?” Copper was the first to notice my lapse in confidence. He actually sat down by my head and awkwardly poked at my cheek, “your heart hurting again?”

              “MOTHER?” Cesar came to the other side of my head when Copper didn’t get an immediate response. He ran a hand across my eyebrows.

              “My heart does hurt I guess….not in any physical way though.” My hands absentmindedly reached around for something to latch onto- another hand preferably. Then they were both grabbed. Saphenous bit down on my knuckle when I tried to wriggle my hand free, and Babylon just sat on it to keep it still.

              “huh…” Julius wobbled across the uneven terrain of the bed and pressed a foot against my side, “the fuck you on about?”

              “PROBABLY THINGS BEYOND YOUR SIMPLE MIND.” Cesar grumbled dryly before resting his head against my cheek bone, “IT WAS THE WEDDING RING WASN’T IT?”

              _It’s almost scary how well he knows me at this point._

              “ **wedding ring?** ” Saphenous cocked his head.

              “Olivia had an engagement ring.” I explained, “Now, both she and Josephine will be getting married.”

              “so what?” Copper rubbed awkwardly shaped ovals into my cheek, smearing my foundation, “i thought most people found that to be a good thing.”

              “It _is_ a good thing.” I couldn’t quite figure out how to explain how I felt, “It’s a marvelous thing, and I’m happy for them.”

              “…Are you upset because you don’t have anyone like that?” Babylon ran a hand across my knuckles. My silence was answer enough, “Nadia…”

              “you kidding me?” Julius snorted, falling back into a sitting position, “you don’t have a boyfriend? i don’t buy that for a second.”

              “SHE DOESN’T HAVE ONE.” Cesar glowered at the edgy.

              “I don’t, so it does make me a little jealous.” I sat up and glared down at my heels. All of it- the make-up, the heels, the jewelry, the dress suit- felt…too much for the first time in my life. I also- not for the first time in my left- felt the insane desire to just be _normal_ , to have grown up in your typical middle class family, to have to deal with the usual problems, “Sometimes I hate being myself.” I muttered darkly.

              “nadia?” Copper frowned at me.

              “Sorry. I let that slip out when I shouldn’t have.” I scooped all of my bitties- even Julius- onto my lap  and kissed the tops of their heads. Julius snapped at me for the sudden, unwanted burst of affection, but four elbows to his body was punishment enough, “I’m just a little…”bummed out” at the moment. I think I need a bit of a distraction.”

              “You’re not about to pull out your laptop.” Babylon warned.

              “I wasn’t about to.” I lied. My bitties gave me looks of disbelief, “Alright, perhaps I was. Working is natural for me though-“ My bitties all either snarled or growled at that, “-I will find an alternative then.”

              “THIS HOTEL IS BOUND TO HAVE SOME FORM ENTERTAINMENT.” Cesar gestured at the expansive room I was in, “I DOUBT THAT IT WOULDN’T.”

              “It is famous for its bar.” I recalled some of the parties Edgar would throw here. The place was too flashy and bright for my own personal tastes, but it did make a nice place to throw a celebration.

              “you’re not getting hammered.” Copper protested, “you’re already sad. the last thing we need you to be is _drunk_ too.”

              “I wouldn’t get hammered.” I clucked my tongue at them, “ _That_ would be unprofessional. A nice buzz to take the bite out of my stress is another thing entirely.”

              “ **there probably won’t be many people in the bar right now…too early.** ” Saphenous actually sounded like he might be favoring my side of the argument, “ **you could get a drink or two and go to bed early.** ”

              “That sounds like a marvelous plan.” The idea alone had some of the stress bleeding off of my shoulders.

              “hmph.” Julius bit my hand like the cranky little shit he was for absolutely no reason whatsoever.

              “I did nothing to deserve that.” I tugged on his skull until he released me, “Honestly…”

              After bandaging my hand up, I dressed down into kitten heels, a pin-stripe skirt, and a plain black button up shirt. My face was washed clean of all make-up, and I washed the gel in my hair out in the sink. I was the image of a hot mess. _I guess it’s about time the outside reflected the inside._

              People continued to stare at my bitties and I as we walked through the hallways. A couple of people recognized me and began to take my photo. _I sincerely hope they don’t expect that to be worth much. I’m not a CEO anymore._ The rest just gave me a wide berth and made a point to ignore me. _Good. I wouldn’t mind being ignored for the rest of my life right now._

              “Miss Newmore told us to see to your every need!” The dramatic voice of the bartender caught my attention. A gangly fire monster with glasses perched awkwardly on his face rapidly typed out a response on the cellphone in front of him, “She’s covering everything. I promise you.”

              _He’s familiar…and must know Josephine…wait…ah._

              “Grilby.” I called out as I walked over. My bitties- except for Cesar- looked up at me with confusion written across their faces. The fire monster in question turned his head to look at me and turned a nice, vibrant shade of orange upon noticing me, “I got the name right didn’t I?”

              “You did.” His response was quick and efficient.

              “Ah Miss….Miss…Newmore?” The bartender’s eyes widened.

              “Are you here for Greyson’s birthday as well?” I sat down next to Grillby. The fire monster nodded, “Well, that explains everything then. Do you want something to drink?”

              “Everything is too pricey here.” Grillby protested, “I won’t take advantage of your sister’s kindness.”

              “Ha.” I bit back the rest of my laugh and ensured my bitties comfort before looking back at him, “She would be insulted to hear that….Listen, order something. It’ll be on me.” I nudged him with my shoulder a little bit, “I owe you for the drinks you made us on the beach remember?”

              Grillby- despite only being 20 at the time of the beach party- had been able to make a mean drink. Apparently, young monsters in the Underground were used to drinking at the age of 18, so it was rather difficult for some of them to learn that they couldn’t drink for another 3 years. While I did not- and do not- actively condone underage drinking, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to taste what he had made with him. Thus, I did owe him.

              “Very well then.” Grillby sighed before typing something else on the phone and showing it to the bartender. The bartender, who had gotten over being star struck, took my order as well before hurrying off to fill then, “You’ve gotten more bitties.” Grillby observed.

              “I have.” I nodded gesturing to my four new ones, “These bitties are Saphenous, Copper, Babylon, and Julius. Boys, this is Grillby. He’s one of Sans’s friends.”

              My bitties grumbled out a wary greeting, clinging close to my arm and watching Grillby’s every single move.

              “They’re a bit protective.” I explained to the confused fire monster, “It’s been…a rough day.”

              “Rough?” Grillby held his phone up and cocked his head.

              “Rough.” I nodded. _You could talk to him about it. It’s not like he’s going to really be around very often…No. There’s no point in burdening him like that. He doesn’t deser-_

              “Want to talk about it?” Grillby offered as our drinks were delivered.

              I hesitated until my bitties either kicked, bit, nudged, or prodded my arm.  They glared up at me with eyes that read “if you won’t talk to us. talk to him.”

              “…You wouldn’t mind?” I asked softly. Grillby shook his head, “….Well…”


	10. Drunk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch1
> 
> Okay, okay. I know this is early, but I looked at a calendar and realized how often Wednesday meant the first of a new month- which irritated me. Thus, expect updates to happen either on a Tuesday or a Thursday dependent on what has to go down until the end of March.  
> I'm sad to say that I only got 10 chapters written up. I wanted to get 16, but those final six are just..ugh. Besides. I felt like this was a good mini-arc to end on because nice, fwuffy feelings...dammit...I really wanted to leave you guys with the sad thing, but I couldn't write fast enough T-T oh well. I can break your hearts later.  
> BTW there might be more errors because I literally wrote 10 chapters in about 3-4 days, so bear with me plz.

              “’I wouldn’t get hammered. _That_ would be unprofessional.’ _unprofessional._ hmph.” Copper tugged on some of my hair, “what do you call this huh!?”

              My brain- which had slowed to a crawl, like trying to walk through caramel… _caramel…that would be nice right about now_ \- tried it’s best to work through the alcohol in my system to form a response. It had been a _long_ time since I really sat down to drink something- constant paranoia about gluten sending me to the hospital tended to tamper down on my desire to get drunk. My alcohol tolerance had been much higher back when I frequented galas and so on. I could drink a _lot_ of wine back in the day. Perhaps old age had caught up with me, or maybe a couple of years without really sitting down just to drink ruined my tolerance.

              “I’m not that bad.” I protested…at least…I thought I did.

              “did anyone just understand what she said?” Julius also tugged on some of my hair.

              “NO. SHE SLURRED TOO MUCH.”

              “I’m not slurring.” I protested, trying to get up from the bar stool. My balance went to complete and utter shit. _Oh..gravity?...huh?_ A strong arm caught me as I fell back. Grillby helped me sit back down on my stool- more than a little drunk himself, “Thanks.”

              He made a noise that sounded like a crackling fire with a cold. Only the slight shake to his shoulders told me that he was laughing.

              “What?” I whined, batting at his shoulder playfully, “I’m not that bad right?”

              “yas.” Grillby managed to type out despite his fingers fumbling over the keys on his phone on more than one occasion, “u rr.”

              “Fuck.” I actually found myself chuckling despite everything going on, “No more then.”

              “I think I just heard her say stop. Saph, go tell the bartender to quit making them drinks.” Babylon cocked his head and patted my arm while my mostly bored bloodyberry went over to the bartender, “How in the hell are we going to get her upstairs safely?”

              “CAN’T BRASSBERRIES GROW TO BE HUMAN SIZED?” Cesar looked at Copper.

              “if my spine wasn’t fucked up.” Copper gestured to his back, “the shift would snap me in half right now though.”

              “Nadia?” Babylon rubbed my arm as he talked to me like I was a child, “Do you think you could walk straight and get back to your room?”

              “What about Grillby?” I raised a brow and frowned. He seemed a little bit less drunk than I was, but he obviously had enough to fuck him up a bit, “We can’t just leave-“ I burped. _Vile._ “- him here.”

              “I THINK SHE MENTIONED GRILLBY.” Cesar tried his best to decipher my words, “HMM…WE CAN’T JUST LEAVE HIM HERE TO BE HARASSED BY HUMANS.”

              “especially when he’s this out of it.” Julius kicked Grillby’s arm. Surprisingly, the simple exertion of force actually knocked Grillby’s arm back a couple of inches, “you’re both fucking idiots.” Julius chomped down on my hand angrily.

              “Ow…” I flicked his head with stumbling fingers, “Not in the mood…”

              “ **i said to back off.** ”

              The sound of my bloodyberry hissing and snarling drew my head in the direction of the noise. He flashed his blades dangerously in the face of a couple of women in suits standing in front of him. My bitties reacted to his aggression like I did, and within seconds, Cesar and Babylon were on the scene as well.

              “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?” Cesar held up a bone spear threateningly.

              “ **they tried to grab me.** ” Saphenous growled.

              “More strays here?” One of the women looked confused, “We might need to call in some aid. These guys look a little feral. Who knows how long they’ve been stuck here without an owner.”

              _Without an owner?_

_**Excuse me bitch?**_

              “Pardon you?” My words must’ve come out more clearly in my rage. My feet still danced awkwardly around each other as I stood up, but I used the bar to keep myself from falling over, “Those are _my_ bitties. Don’t touch them.”

              “nadia.” Copper rested a hand on mine in an attempt to steady him.

              “hey, don’t knock your skull open bitch.” Julius added.

              “They’re yours?” One of the women raised a brow, looking at my discheveled experience, “Ma’am, stealing bitties is now a-“

              “I am Nadia Victoria Newmore.” With some fumbling, my wallet found itself in my hands in seconds. I showed them my ID with more than a little annoyance in my, “I could own 100 bitties and still be worth more than your entire corporation. Now fuck off, and leave my bitties alone.” I awkwardly gestured for my bitties to return to my side. Cesar and Babylon didn’t have to drag a worked up Saphenous along with them, but the bloodyberry kept his eyes on them as he backed away slowly, “Who the fuck do you think you are trying to grab my bitties in a bar?”

              “Is that name supposed to be-“ The younger woman was cut off by her older companion, who looked absolutely terrified.

              “I am so sorry ma’am.” The older woman immediately began to kiss ass, “We didn’t realize that they were here with someone. A couple of people reported bitties wandering around in here, so we thought they might’ve been abandoned.”

              “Abandoned in an Armani suit?” I pointed at the expensive clothing Cesar wore.

              “…Valid point. We’re sorry ma’am.” The Older woman apologized.

              “Hmph.” I sat back down when my legs became too weak to stand up. Accidentally, I began to lean back. Warm, firm arms supported my weight though. I looked back and actually giggled at the tipsy, cranky fire elemental who looked just as annoyed as I was about this whole thing.

              “Does this mean that this bitty is also yours?” The older woman held out a bitty I had never seen before in my life. He was tall and made of yellow-white flames. A mane of curled flames hung over one shoulder, and his crossed arms actually made him look rather dignified.

              “Uh…no.” I blinked at the bitty, “I’ve never seen him before.”

              “My previous owner left me here two days ago. I doubt that he is coming back.” The bitty responded simply, stone cold and almost eerily emotionless.

              “If he’s not yours, we’ll be taking him.” The younger woman- she still didn’t seem to understand how much respect my last name commanded- rolled her eyes.

              “Hold up.” I held up one of my hands, “Again, _who are you_? I don’t care how drunk I am. You’re not going to run off and sell a bitty to a fighting ring.” _Especially after this rough day._

              “We work for the CC actually.” The older woman pulled out an ID that I recognized as one of the cards certain bitty techs- like Velour- wore. They designated the person as being a bit higher up the chain of command, and even while somewhat shit faced drunk, I could still make out that the ID said she was a “Bitty Retrieval Specialist.”

              “What is a bitty retrieval specialist?” I cocked my head, which made my mind spin too much. Thus, I had to straighten back up again.

              “We answer reports of bitties being abandoned in an attempt to rescue them before they can be picked up by abusive owners, bitty breeders, and bitty fighting rings. Think of us as a kind of dog catcher.” The older woman explained.

              “She’s going to forget all of this when she’s sober.” The younger woman tugged on the older woman’s arm, “Let’s just go.”

              “If she calls the cops, we can be thrown into prison-“ The older woman snapped her fingers, “- like that. I’m not going to risk a Newmore’s ire- especially with the other two sisters having more power than ever.” The wiser woman looked towards me and cleared her throat, “We were sent to retrieve this bitty. I’m sorry we mistook your bitties as strays as well. We’ll just get out of your hair.”

              “Does he want to go with you?” I managed to wrangle my hand around her wrist. The new bitty blinked and angled his head to look at me from a better angle, “Do you want to go with them?” I asked him directly.

              “Not particularly.” The new bitty shrugged, “They have an ID, but that doesn’t stop them from being criminals. I _want_ my previous human to return to find me. That doesn’t seem to be an option however.”

              _What is it with people and thinking they can just leave their bitties on the street? They aren’t dogs or cats…hell…one could argue abandoning a bitty is worse than leaving a dog or cat behind. Heartless bastards. It’s a sad day when an ice queen has warmer blood than someone else._

              “I’ll take him.” I picked the curious bitty up.

              “You are too drunk to be making such a decision.” He reminded me.

              “OH GREAT. ANOTHER ONE.” Cesar sighed and rubbed his temples.

              “ **huh, booze makes her even _more_ impulsive.**” Saphenous eyed my class warily. _He must’ve never seen someone get drunk before._

              “I’m not impulsive.” I grumbled, “And I’m perfectly capable of making my own decisions right now. My mind might be a series of random things on fast forward right now. I’m _not_ that much of a light weight though….I just can’t walk straight right now.”

              _If only I had Josephine’s tolerance, she could’ve easily gotten up in their faces and told them to fuck off after a couple of pints of the strongest liquor here._

              “Ma’am, I would advise you to be aware of what you’re offering. You’ll definitely need to register yourself as his owner.” The old woman warned, “He’s a fireroyal. They aren’t like most bitties and-“

              “The internet is an amazing thing. I’ll work it out….” I waved her away before pausing, “What do you mean I need to register as his owner?”

              “He’s a rare breed.” The older woman shrugged, “We need to know where they’re at and who they’re with at all times.”

              “Oh, so I don’t need to do that for Julius. Good.” I yawned. _Ahh…here comes the sleepy stage of my drunkenness._ I looked down at the bitty- er..fireroyal in my hand, “You don’t protest to this arrangement?”

              “You’re drunk.” He pointed out again.  

              “she’s also the most stubborn human this side of mt. ebbot. just go with it.” Copper sighed, running a hand over his skull, “we’re going back to the hotel room after this however.”

              “do you just walk around and grab random bitties up off the streets?” Julius growled at me.

              “Not usually. I think it’s being around her sisters.” Babylon sighed.

              “It is…” I hesitated. _I’m compensating for the family I don’t have in all honesty….dammit…all alcohol should burn in hell. I don’t want to face my inner demons. I don’t want to…_ I shook my head a little bit, “It doesn’t matter. Anyways, one more bitty won’t end me.”

              “u sure.” Grillby held the phone over my shoulder to let me read it.

              “Yeah.” I sighed, “I’m fine.”

              Things after that….became…a bit…well…ahem… _blurry_ at best. No, I didn’t get black out drunk. I had vague memories of the evening because the bartender still served us one last drink that tipped me over the edge. The only things I distinctly remember were signing the registration papers for the fireroyal and sturdy arms supporting Grillby and I as we stumbled through the hotel that was quickly beginning to flood with other people. _Thank goodness I didn’t make an ass of myself publicly in front of too many people._

              After that, I must’ve passed out. _If this is how I react to a little bit of alcohol, this will be a problem. I need to drink more and build my tolerance back up….without ending up like Josephine._ My twin’s struggle with alcoholism wasn’t a pretty thing to watch- even when we despised each other. Josephine protected Olivia from a lot of things- including her own inner darkness- whenever she could. I didn’t mean that much. Thus, I had watched her friend Nagihiko guide a stumbling, sobbing, drunk Josephine from our home on more than one occasion. _I would be wise to not inform her about this lapse in judgement._

              My head felt like someone had taken a knife to it when I first began to regain consciousness the next morning. Given the rather rough night and day before passing out, I made sure to check my body. I was in just a simple shirt and underwear, but I still had clothes on. _I hope I just passed out…it would be terrible to have done something regrettable._

              The sensation of a warm arm wrapping around my middle drew my attention to my bed partner. Grillby was shirtless, but I could feel his pants against my legs. _Still, clothing doesn’t mean I didn’t have sex with him. Please tell me I didn’t ruin this poor kid’s life like that._

              “Nadia.” The cool, collected voice- new to my sober ears- forced me to finally open my eyes. The silhouette of the fireroyal sitting on my nightstand brought back some of my memories from the night before- mostly surrounding his adoption, “You’ve awoken.”

              “Regrettably.” My head thundered with agony despite the gentle scent of freshly wash sheets and whatever detergent Grillby washed his clothing in, “Gah…”

              “HERE MOTHER.” Cesar climbed onto the night stand with a couple of pills, “TO HELP WITH THE HEADACHE.”

              “Thank you.” I moved to sit up, but Grillby’s grip on my middle tightened, pinning me against his chest, “Someone is surprisingly cuddly…” I looked over at the two bitties and raised my brow, “Please tell me we…didn’t…”

              “You were both practically unconscious when I managed to get you through the door.” The fireroyal took the pills from Cesar and easily navigated the bumpy terrain of the bed, “Can you swallow them dry, or do you need water?”

              “I don’t need a liquid.” I assured him. My throat felt like shit, but my head felt worse. The pills would still take a little time to kick in though, “Where are the others?”

              “Copper and Babylon are still asleep. Saphenous is hunting bugs out on the balcony, and Julius is currently enduring punishment for less than desirable behavior.” The fireroyal answered.

              I raised a brow in Cesar’s direction.

              “WHAT? HE WANTED TO TAKE OVER. WHY THE HELL WOULD I ARGUE?” Cesar shrugged, “SAVES ME THE HASSLE OF HAVING TO BABYSIT EVERYONE ALL OF THE DAMN TIME.”

              “What did Julius _do_ though?” I looked at the fireroyal.

              “He hindered our attempts at returning you and Mr. Grillby to your hotel room. Thus, he is still sitting in punishment. In fact, one of his “jokes” almost ended with you falling backwards down a flight of stairs.”

              “It _what_?” My voice got too loud. My head protested, and Grillby groaned, finally beginning to wake up himself.

              “You can see why I opted to show him the error of his ways.” The fireroyal looked to Cesar as Grillby slowly began to wake up, “Monster candy?”

              “WE HAVE SOME.” Cesar hopped off of the night stand to go find it.

              “I see.” I sighed, sinking into my pillow. The fireroyal and I had a slight stare down, “What do wish for me to call you by?” I questioned.

              “Adonis was the name given to me by my previous human.” The fireroyal stated simply.

              _Adonis? Jesus, I thought I was bad about giving my bitties egotistical names._

              “I see. I’m Nadia Newmore Adonis. I apologize that our first meeting was so odd.” I felt Grillby finally stretch out against my back and let out an indignant huff, “Are you awake?” Grillby nodded against my neck, still half asleep, “Could you by any chance release me? I need to sort myself out.”

              There was a brief pause while Grillby slowly faded into complete consciousness. His hand trailed down my body before he recoiled back from me like I was an ice sculpture. My skin rejoiced at the cool air coming in, but the small part of me Edgar broke actually yearned to have that again. Affection had never been one of Edgar’s top priorities- to me at least. His dear “secretaries” had always been _quite_ fond of him after all. It was nice to have someone sleeping alongside me.

              “Thank you.” I sat up at last and stretched. Grillby was a bright shade of red, “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about Grillby.”

              “Especially considering the fact she was the one that had clung to _you_ in the beginning.” Adonis chimed in.

              I had the intense desire to drown him in the sink.

              _Dammit Edgar._

              “MOTHER.” Cesar appeared on the nightstand once more with my cellphone and some monster candy for Grillby, “JOSEPHINE HAS ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT YOU.”

              “I see. Thank you Cesar.” I took the monster candy from him and handed it to Grillby, “Here. This will help with any headaches you have.” Grillby accepted it graciously and ate it while I began to check on what Josephine had sent me.

              **Josephine:** They’ve all calmed down by now.

              **Josephine:** You can come back you know.

              **Josephine:** Oi, I know you’re just as much of an insomniac as I am. Quit ignoring me.

              **Josephine:** Don’t make me walk my pregnant ass all the way to your hotel dammit.

              **Josephine:** Fuck it. I’ll be there in ten.

              ….

              That was nine minutes ago.

              The door to my hotel room swung open, and Josephine had a bag filled with all kinds of tools she probably took from Sans’s lab.

              “Hey, Nadi-“ Josephine paused the instant she noticed Grillby and I together, “Oh. Bitch, you could’ve just texted me back if you were busy popping someone’s cherry.”

              Grillby hid under the covers. I was a _lovely_ shade of infurated, embarrassed red.

              “Josephine!” My shriek caught the attention of all of my bitties. The cocky bitch just smirked back at me and raised a brow, “You are…so…so… _vulgar_! We did no such thing!”

              “Oh, so you just had slutty pajama party?”

              “No!” I picked up my pillow and threw it at her. She easily batted it away.

              “You were just curious about exploring all of his volcanic crevices?”

              “Ugh.”

              Arguing with her was a foolish idea.

              So I joined Grillby under the covers.

              _This is going to be a longer “vacation” than I thought._


	11. Creating a New Bridge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch1
> 
> Oh btw, I'll be taking an official 7 day hiatus to rest and recover (as in no writing whatsoever- period). I need to de-stress a bit.
> 
> Also, I really just want to cuddle and protect my version of Grillby. I think it's my kinks coming out to play a bit XD

              My twin just had to be the most annoying person on the planet didn’t she? Honestly, I believe Sans made it even _worse_.

              “I’m sorry for barging in when things were just getting hot, but I had to ash you a question.” Josephine laughed into the neat table the hotel room had. I threw another shoe at her.

              “I swear to god Sans is the worst thing to ever happen to you.” I tugged on my skirt and grumbled a series of curses under my breath, “It’s bad enough you ran off Grillby with that shit eating grin of yours, but I don’t need to be subjected to your skeleton’s favorite brand of humor constantly. Grillby and I did _not_ have any kind of sexual intercourse last night you…you… _bitch_. Now for the tenth and final time, Grillby and I just _slept_ in the same bed.”

              “Easy there cougar. No need to bare your teeth or get your fur on end.” Josephine finally trailed off into throaty chuckles, “Sans was just worried that he hadn’t heard from Grillby since late yesterday afternoon, so it’s a bit funny to find out that he’s been with you the entire time.”

              “Grillby isn’t a child.” I began to fix my hair. My bitties had wisely decided to just get ready themselves in the bathroom while I bickered with Josephine, “He doesn’t need a babysitter.”

              “Comic worries a lot….He’s got a good reason to.” Josephine’s voice took on an eerily dark quality for a couple of seconds, “Anyways, I counted 6 bitties when I walked in the door. Care to explain that?”

              “I ended up adopting Adonis last night.” I replied, getting my hair nice and flat before looking over at Josephine, “He shouldn’t be any trouble.”

              “Didn’t look like he’d be.” Josephine shrugged.

              “You’d better not keep teasing Grillby about this.” I growled. It was one thing for _me_ to deal with her constant harassment and teasing, and another thing entirely for a young man like Grillby to have to deal with it.

              “I won’t. I won’t….No promises about Comic though.” Josephine managed to catch the brush I threw at her out of frustration, “Your throwing arm sucks by the way.”

              “We can’t all be muscular bullies.” I scowled into the mirror I was using to fix my make-up, “On the note of _bitties_ , where are yours? It’s rare to see you without them.”

              “Keeping Comic distracted while I’m away. He knows I’m gone, but we’re trying to work on the whole “all but tied to my waist” attitude.” Josephine rubbed her shoulder absentmindedly. Knowing her, she probably injured it in a scuffle of some kind, “I came to get you because Livvy wants to do the birthday parties early. There was a last minute massive party squeezed in at Chez Newmore on the day we planned to do it, so she won’t be able to come unless we do it early.”

              “I see. Very well then.” I glared at her, “Now will you get out of here and wait in the lobby or something? I need to talk with my bitties.”

              “Someone needs to go grab Grillby anyways.” Josephine slid out of her chair and stretched out some. Her pregnant stomach actually showed just a little bit through the hoodie, “Don’t take too long ice queen. Livvy wants to get things going ASAP.”

              “I won’t.” I assured her, “I’m actually punctual most days.”

              “Mmm…” Josephine hummed noncommittally as she walked out of the hotel room, leaving me- finally- in blissful silence to think.

              _Goodness. That was not the kind of awakening I wanted this morning…_              

              “Nadia?” Babylon poked his head out of the bathroom, “Are you ready?”

              “I am. What about you guys?” I walked over and looked into the bathroom. Surprisingly, Copper was letting Adonis bandage his spine up, “Care to explain?”  I asked Babylon.

              “He’s got steadier hands than I do.” Babylon reluctantly admitted, “I get shaky whenever he starts feeling pain which slows the whole process down. Adonis does it much more quickly.”

              “ **beats having to wait an extra five minutes that’s for sure.** ” Saphenous, who had Julius tangled up for some reason, yawned, exposing a bit of a roach in his mouth. _I swear he’ll eat just about anything with some kind of meat on it won’t he?_

              “I take it Julius’s behavior hasn’t really improved?” I looked at the disgruntled edgy.

              “He has quite the mouth on him.” Adonis said while double checking Copper’s bandages one last time.

              “HE’S ACTUALLY BEING SOMEWHAT GOOD.” Cesar, dressed in a sharp looking suit as always, actually sneered at the tied up edgy, “THIS IS MORE THAN A LITTLE AMUSING.”

              “i fucking hate you so much you puffed up jackass.” Julius snarled, “if this little shit didn’t have me ass over head, i’d be running you through.”

              “YOU’D BE TRYING TO.” Cesar corrected.

              “Enough.” I clapped my hands in warning, “The party for Greyson has been moved to today. All of you will be on your best behavior- new bundle of trouble included.”

              “Party?” Adonis looked up at me.

              “My nephew will be turning one in a couple of days. Originally, we planned on having a party then, but my youngest sister has to be at work that day. We’re doing it to day instead for that very reason.” I bent down and untangled Julius from Saphenous’s grasp. Deciding that Julius would probably be fine on my shoulder, I put him on my right shoulder and placed Saphenous on my head. Babylon and Copper were gently positioned on my left shoulder, and Cesar had to share his perch on my arms with Adonis, “My family is a bit odd.” I warned the fireroyal.

              “I doubt they’re that extraordinary.” The new bitty admitted honestly, “You seem relatively normal.”

              “oh i _wish_ this shit were normal.” Copper grunted from where he was leaning against my neck.

              “Hm?” Adonis looked up at the pained brassberry.

              “Things are a bit tense because of my father’s past.” Babylon elaborated as we exited the hotel room, “One of Josephine’s bitties was um…the one who damaged his back. It’s not a pretty situation.”

              “WE’RE NOT IN ANY REAL DANGER.” Cesar said before Adonis could comment, “RAZE AND SUNSHINE WILL MORE THAN LIKELY JUST STAY AWAY FROM US DURING OUR VISIT. THE ISSUE COMES IN WITH THIS IDIOT.” Cesar pointed up at Julius, “THERE’S A CHERRY IN THE HOUSEHOLD I KNOW WILL NOT APPRECIATE SUNSHINE’S NERVES BEING TRAMPLED ON.”

              “a cherry? are you seriously fucking scared of a cherry?” Julius laughed.

              “YOU’LL SEE.” Cesar groused.

              “Is this cherry responsible for…?” Adonis tapped at his own eye. Cesar’s hand reached up to his shades and cleared his throat.

              “NO HE ISN’T, BUT HE’S MORE FEARLESS THAN PEOPLE GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR- _AND_ KNOWS HIS WAY AROUND A PAIR OF SCISSORS.”

              “Idjit- the cherry- has almost beheaded Cesar on more than one occasion.” I elaborated when Cesar obviously didn’t want to himself, “Don’t let his smaller size fool you. Idjit must’ve grown tired of being the pushover because he definitely has more of a spine than your typical cherry. He’ll more than likely be focused on the kids though.”

              “Kids?” Adonis asked.

              _I’m just going to have to explain everything to him in the elevator aren’t I?_

              I did. I had to explain all of the bitty dynamics _and_ my own dynamics with my sisters in less than the two minutes it took the elevator to get down to the lobby. Adonis’s face remained in a simple, calm, stoic expression, but I could practically hear the gears turning in his mind as he went over the dots in his mind again and again.

              “Oi, Nadia!” Josephine bellowed across the lobby. _She’s very loud when she doesn’t have to worry about startling her bitties._ Grillby, who was just as embarrassed as I was about how loud she was being, nodded politely me at me as I approached. He held his phone up the instant I approached.

              “I’m sorry.” Grillby seemed to be stuck in a permanent state of redness.

              “Grillby, I was the one clinging to you apparently. If it’s anyone’s fault it’s mine.” I carefully took one arm from underneath Adonis and Cesar to pat his upper arm comfortingly, “Besides, neither of us did anything regrettable.”

              “True.” Grillby sighed, sounding like a furnace enjoying a fresh blast of air.

              “Hey there Adonis.” Josephine waved at my new bitty. Adonis looked over at her and cocked his head.

              “Greetings.” Adonis said politely.

              _He…isn’t completely charmed by her?_ I looked down at my new bitty in shock. Even Cesar had some amount of respect for my sister.

              “Sorry to just barge in on your territory like that. I had to make sure she hadn’t gone off and done something stupid though. We’d hate for her to have to go on another trip to France.” Josephine waved a stray hand. It took all of my self-restraint to not flinch.

              My “trip to France” was kind of like a code for my year long trip to a mental health facility during my Junior year of high school after my anorexia reached a breaking point. My parents- not wanting to give the gossips anything to run- claimed I was flying abroad to France to study. All it would’ve taken to prove this to be the lie it was would’ve been for someone to look at my passport. I had been to Spain to visit Dante, Caspian, and their mother, but France hadn’t been one of my top priorities since Grandmother’s parents lived in Germany.

              “I would never do something so drastic.” I clucked my tongue at her, “Unlike some people, I take care of myself.” _I suppose that is a bit unfair of me though. It’s not her fault she had a negative reaction to the anti-depressants._ “I’m warmed by your concern however.”

              “Eh, someone has to care about you.” Josephine shrugged the shoulder that wasn’t paining her and led the way out of the lobby, “Come on. Granny’s probably going to be at the house at this rate.”

              “Grandmother is coming?” I blinked, shocked.

              “No. She’s just going to miss her only great-grandchild’s first birthday.” Josephine didn’t have to be facing me for me to know that she had rolled her eyes.

              “NO NEED FOR THE SARCASM.” Cesar crossed his arms and glared at Josephine angrily.

              “It’s not my fault she asked a stupid question.” Josephine stuck her tongue out at us over her shoulder, “Now come on.”

              _Grandmother will be there…_

              It was not something I was particularly eager about. My grandmother hadn’t necessarily been hostile the last few months, but her slight animosity towards me was unavoidable at this rate. She always favored Josephine- in everything. Josephine could commit murder and still be the “good granddaughter” in Grandmother’s eyes.

              _I do wish she was less open about her aggravation towards me. We can’t all be blessed with the nearly inhuman resilience Josephine has been blessed with._

              Once more, I felt the old jealous, anger surge in my chest.

              _I_ was the one who endured years of being molded into the perfect child. _I_ was the one who found myself crushed by the dog eat dog world that my parents thrusted me into. _I_ was the one who fucking needed her the most, but **_no_**. Precious, smart, creative Josephine _always_ got all of Grandmother’s focus. She was the black sheep of the family after all. She needed that special helping hand that Grandmother denied me time and time again growing up.

              Grillby tapped my arm to get my attention. The tap turned into a slight tug as he maneuvered me around a group of people I would’ve otherwise bumped into on the sidewalk.

              “Are you okay?” The soft glow of his cellphone drew me back down to earth.

              “I am.” I told him, breath shaking a little bit. Josephine had wandered farther on ahead, so she hadn’t noticed this exchange.

              “I don’t believe you.” Grillby’s flames took on a rather determined looking orange color.

              “I’m fine.” Somehow, a smile actually came across my face, “I just had some brief negative thoughts. You chased them away though.” My teasing actually turned him red again.

              “Please don’t flirt when all of us are physically unable to avoid it.” Babylon tugged his scarf further up his face to try and cover his ears.

              “I’m not flirting!” I blew a blast of cold air in the hybrid’s face. Babylon snapped his teeth at me crankily.

              “sounded like fucking flirting.” Julius, who seemed wary of Adonis still, made a ‘tch’ noise and looked away frome when I glowered at him.

              “Honestly. You all need to get your heads out of the gutter.” I rolled my eyes and looked at Grillby, “I’m sorry that they’re so....touchy right now. They’re usually not this bad.”

              “It’s fine.” Grillby assured me.

              _It really isn’t, but you’re sweet to say it is._ I smiled despite how fatigued I felt given the situation.

              The second time my bitties and I stepped through Josephine’s front door was just as tense as the first. There weren’t any bitties in the living room this time. Some were obviously helping Papyrus and Olivia in the kitchen, but the others were just…not there. I didn’t know my sister’s bitties like the back of my hand. Hell, I doubted even she knew them that well. Still, only an idiot would be able to note how quiet the central area of her house was.

              “Nadia.” Asgore walked out into the hallway, “Jos.” He nodded politely at my sister and I.

              “Hey there old goatman. Livvy managed to drag you out of the office today?” Josephine laughed.

              “literally.” Sans chuckled, appearing from around the king. Greyson was tugging on his lower jaw experimentally, but Sans only light nipped at Greyson’s fingers and made soft growling noises that caused Greyson to begin giggling like crazy, “grillbz! i’m glad you could make it- especially after your heated night.”

              _How does he-_ Josephine held her cellphone up and winked at my teasingly – _Oh fuck you._

              Asgore look between all of us more than a little confused while Josephine and Sans continued to rib Grillby and I subtly. Eventually, I found myself alone in the living room with my bitties while Grillby went to help Asgore and Sans with something and Josephine disappeared into the kitchen to check on Papyrus and Olivia.

              “lia?” The soft voice made my tense bitties jump a little bit. Adonis, who had absorbed everything patiently and quietly, looked down to find the small December shyly peering around the living room, “lia?”

              “Josephine is in the kitchen.” I said after clearing my throat. December jumped some. Idjit stepped out from behind him and tangled a comforting hand in his. The cherry observed my bitties with curious red eyes that briefly glowed with anger when they landed on Cesar, “We won’t make trouble Idjit.”

              “…g-go-o-oo-ood.” Idjit’s stutter actually made Julius laugh.

              “that’s the brat you’re afraid of cesar?” Julius howled. Cesar didn’t say a thing, “he’s like- this fucking big,” Julius made a hand motion for “tiny” through his laughter, “serious-“

              A scissor blade that had been buried in the coffee table flew out and clipped Julius’s cheek. The edgy recoiled from the blade instinctively and looked down at Idjit in horror. Nothing seemed off about the cherry besides a slight tilt to his head.

              “idjit.” December murmured, “lia.”

              “r-ri-igh-gh-t-t.” Idjit smiled at his companion and headed towards the kitchen.

              All of my newer bitties- except for Adonis- stared at the scissor blade in shock.

              “LIKE I’VE SAID. HE’S NOT YOUR USUAL CHERRY.” Cesar snorted.

              “he could’ve taken my fucking head off!” Julius snapped at him.

              “From the looks of it, he would’ve.” Adonis cocked his head, “There are many volatile personalities in this family it seems.”

              “Doesn’t get any easier I’m afraid.” I sighed fondly, “The Newmore family isn’t exactly one of sweet moments and rainbows.”

              “That much is obvious.” Babylon sighed, trying his best to get his father to calm down a little bit. It pained me to see Copper so worked up, but there was little I could really do. He wasn’t clawing at his hands at least, “No wonder you moved to Greenridge.”

              _~~You moved to Greenridge to avoid having to watch Greyson grow up.~~_

              I just made a soft noise for them to interpret as they wished.

              Besides the Idjit scare, there wasn’t much else that happened while we waited for Grandmother to arrive. The only thing of any real interest that happened was when Lace, Tinsel, Atlantic, and Willoughby came out from one of the rooms in the back.

              “Hm?” Tinsel spotted us.

              _I wonder if this is where Raze has told Tinsel to sta-_

              “Hi!” Tinsel waved excitedly. He hobbled over to us around his brace awkwardly, “It’s good to see you again.”

              “tInSeL.” Willoughby called out in warning, “yOu KnOw WhAt YoUr PaPa SaId.”

              “But it’s rude to just ignore them.” Tinsel puffed his cheeks out indignantly.

              “there’s not much they could really do.” Atlantic said absentmindedly, “not without failure at least.”

              “i got the distinct feeling that the cherry isn’t the only one we should be worried about.” Copper stared at the water-skeleton hybrid warily. Atlantic merely cocked his head innocently, but the thin veins of black hat appeared in his eyes told us just how aggressive he could be if pushed to it.

              “Atlantic!” Tinsel chided the other hybrid, “Be nice. They’re our guests.”

              “yes tinsel.” Atlantic’s eyes flickered a loving, pink color before returning to that murky, placid, and slightly intimidating look he had before. Lace merely listened to everything with a dull look on his face.

              “My darlings!” The sound of something ripping caught my attention. Grandmother and Dr. Gaster stepped out of a distortion, “I’m here!” Grandmother was smiling from ear to ear until she saw me, “Nadia.” She said coolly.

              “Grandmother.” I nodded stiffly.

              “persephone.” Dr. Gaster sighed.

              “Granny!” Livvy popped out of the kitchen beaming.

              “Livvy darling!” Grandmother held her arms out expectantly.

              _Like a grandmother should for her granddaughter._

“Bitch.” I mumbled before I could catch myself. My bitties looked up at me curiously, “Nothing boys.”


	12. Parties and Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch1
> 
> You have no idea how hard it was to sit on this many chapters for so long. I just wanted to start posting them like a mad woman.

              Greyson’s birthday went as well as one would expect it to. The young infant didn’t really understand what was going on beyond the fact everyone around him was smiling as he chowed down on the personal cake Papyrus and Olivia had made for him. The chef duo really had outdone themselves in such a short amount of time.

              “You’re brilliant as always Livvy.” Grandmother cooed, ruffling Olivia’s hair up despite the younger woman’s protests.

              “Granny.” Olivia laughed, trying to straighten her hair. Papyrus reached out and helped her sort out her part once more, “Home cooking is a breeze compared to cooking in a restaurant.”

              “I’d argue against that.” Josephine and Sans were sprawled out on the couch. Josephine relaxed on her back while Sans stretched out across her and buried his face into her neck. A small part of me was paranoid about them hurting the twins, but then I remembered Sans literally weighed almost nothing. Most of his weight was on her collar bone and things anyways, “At home, you think you can get away with quality dropping since everyone is fine if you mess up.”

              “I WOULD NEVER DO THAT!” Papyrus pouted.

              “she wasn’t saying you would bro.” Sans yawned.

              “It sounded like it.” Olivia frowned.

              “Aw come on Mom.” Harley nudged her foot with his elbow, “You know she’s just messing with you guys.”

              “of course she is!” Hiro’s hands waved around in random motions, “she loves your cooking!”

              “As do I.” Sunshine mused from where he, Atlantic, Cyan, Tinsel, Waltzer, Snuggle, Flowey and Blake were relaxing on the coffee table. Sunshine sat furthest away from where my bitties and I sat in one of the spare chairs, and the other bitties had formed a kind of protective semi-circle around him, “You never stop improving at your craft.”

              “Awww…Sunny.” Olivia blushed, “You’re too sweet.”

              “He is merely paying credit where credit is due.” Cyan affectionately ran his hands through Atlantic’s hair while Waltzer cuddled up into his empty side.

              “YoU aRe AlWaYs PrAcTiCiNg.” Willoughby, who had been given a spot to stretch out and relax, rubbed the top of December’s head after the small bitty brought him a bitty cup of tea.

              “ONE MUST NEVER NEGLECT THEIR TRAINING.” Papyrus said firmly. “THAT’S WHY UNDYNE COULDN’T MAKE IT.”

              “I wondered where she was.” Asgore made a soft noise of frustrated affection while he helped Dr. Gaster try to hold Greyson successfully, “He’s not made of glass Gaster.”

              “He might as well be. His skin bruises so easily…” Dr. Gaster glowered at the boy like he had done something to offend him. Perhaps Greyson had been around Raze for too long, because he just looked at Gaster’s scowl and giggled before pressing a sloppy, wet kiss to his cheek, “…It got drool on me.”

              “Babies will do that.” Grandmother laughed and wrapped an arm around Dr. Gaster’s shoulders, “He just likes you Gaster. Isn’t that right my little bundle of caramel flavored sunshine?”

              “…You are an odd woman.” Dr. Gaster’s glower redirected its focus on my grandmother. She just grinned and winked at him.

              “I would’ve thought you had gotten used to it.” Olivia walked over and plopped down onto Asgore’s lap without much fanfare. The King wrapped an arm around her waist and briefly nuzzled the top of her head, “Eh, you will. All of us Arietta women are a bit weird. Right Nadia?”

              “I suppose so.” I rubbed Saphenous’s cheek with my thumb absentmindedly. My bitties had all chosen to stay as close to me as humanly possible. Even Julius had wedged himself as close to me as he possibly could. _I guess I’m not the only one uncomfortable here._ “It’s not something we can just snap our fingers and change after all.”

              “The men in our lives wish that way huh Livvy?” Josephine snorted.

              “i would give up anything for you to not be as much of a martyr as you are.” Sans grumbled into her neck.

              “Guess that answers that.” Olivia giggled.

              “Well, I got a be a real heart stopper somehow Comic.” Josephine patted his back. He bit her shoulder, “Hey, hey, I’ve got some kinks, but exhibitionism isn’t one of them.”

              “Josephine.” Asgore sighed, burying his face in one of his paws. Some of the bitties had opted to cover the ears of nearby younger bitties. Babylon snapped his teeth at Saphenous when he teased the young bitty by motioning to do the same thing.

              “Brazen as always.” I said dryly.

              “More people could do with that kind of attitude.” Grandmother interjected, her voice icier, “It would save some people a lot of trouble if they could just stand up for themselves once in a while.”

              “ALRIGHT OLD WOMAN, YOU’RE PUSHING THINGS TOO-“ I covered Cesar’s mouth with one hand and shook my head, “MOTHER…” Cesar growled up at me.

              “Granny. Quit being so mean.” Olivia actually _glared_ at Grandmother, “Seriously.”

              “Mhm.” Josephine cut a dark look in Grandmother’s direction, “Water under the bridge remember?” Grandmother didn’t say a single thing in return. She did become less punitive towards me for the rest of the party at least.

              Eventually, things broke down in a rather awkward way. I had forgotten what it felt like to be a third wheel, but between Josephine and Sans, Asgore and Olivia, and Gaster and Grandmother, I found myself wishing more and more that I could just disappear behind something and fade into nonexistence. A warm hand tapping my forearm reminded me that I wasn’t the only awkward party out.

              “They’re all quite cozy with each other.” Grillby nodded over to where my sisters and grandmother had begun a lazy conversation over a sleeping Greyson’s head.

              “They are.” I agreed, “It’s a bit claustrophobic in all honesty. Even their bitties are all curled up with them.” The happy image just left a bitter taste in my mouth, “It’s sweet enough to make even a nun jealous.” _Oh. That shouldn’t have come out of my mouth._ I expected Grillby to condemn me for tainting such a sweet scene.

              “I agree.” Grillby let out a slightly annoyed puff of air as he held up his phone, “It’s almost like they’ve completely forgotten we’re here.”

              “They probably have in all honesty.” I joked.

              “holy shit she cracked a joke.” Julius blinked up at me.

              “She has a funny bone you know.” Babylon sighed from where he held his head in his hands, “I swear…”

              “You can’t really talk about bitties curling up though.” Grillby pointed to where all of my bitties were situated on my lap or on me in some way.

              “True enough.” I conceded, “We aren’t as…mushy though.”

              No. Our little “family” wasn’t one born of sweet promises of protection and loving affection. It was built on respected and mutual understanding that both parties benefited from the arrangement. There was respect, duty, and honesty among us, but we didn’t have that warm tinge to it, that gentle touch. More often than not, we clumsily meandered through conversations, barely managing to avoid conflict and verbal spats. Most of us didn’t have a home to go to- those bridges were long since burned. The only way we could go was forward, and we all must’ve agreed that going forward together was better than going alone.

              “You don’t need to be.” Grillby patted my arm, “I think your current lifestyle suits you.”

              “A curious observation.” Adonis folded his hands on his lap as he thought, “A very curious observation.”

              “STILL TRYING TO FIGURE ALL OF US OUT?” Cesar huffed, leaning against the fireroyal. Babylon turned a dangerous deep purple color out of jealousy.

              “If I will be spending the rest of my life with you all, yes.” Adonis looked between the sweet image of the rest of my family enjoying Greyson’s birthday with all of the light and gentleness in their hearts and our somber reality tucked in the shadows of everyone’s gaze, “I have the distinct feeling that you’ll never cease to surprise me.”

              “I hope we do.” I sighed. A small part of me wanted to run my hands through Adonis’s mane, but he’d only been with me a couple of hours. Thus, I redirected my desires to massaging Cesar’s shoulders, “I’m pretty tired of being “interesting”. Being “interesting” often means having to deal with a lot of shit normal, unsurprising people don't have to deal with.”

              For once, I actually got my wish. The rest of my time off was spent in relative normalcy. It was odd and charming to walk through Grayridge once more. The city I used to essentially have under knife point now seemed to thrive without me. Just like my family, my home blossomed when I wasn’t around to hinder it with my clumsy, pathetic life.

              The newer bitties were very curious about the city, so we spent a lot of time wandering. From time to time, Grillby would join me just to stretch his legs when he wasn’t with Sans. Josephine and Sans had a relationship even the closest of friends could only tolerate so long without going more than a little crazy.

              “ **nadia.** ” Saphenous tugged on my hair, “ **you’ve been starting into that lake for ten minutes now.** ”

              “I think some people are wondering if you’re going to jump.” Babylon observed the passersby that stared at me, worry and fear crossing their faces. None of them approached me however.

              “I was just marveling at how normal the past few days have been.” I lied. In truth, I had been mulling over the fact that I seemed to corrupt and taint everything I touched. People were better off without me in my life. Greyson proved that point spectacularly. What would have had with me? A nanny to tend to his needs but no mother to really _be there_ for him? At least with Josephine he had two caregivers that absolutely loved him to death. I wanted to be able to be that for someone. The desire to make something grow, thrive under my care continued to eat at me endlessly. Was it too much for me to ask for?

              “YOU’RE CHEWING ON SOMETHING.” Cesar called me out immediately, “WHAT IS IT MOTHER?”

              “It’s nothing.” I said simply, hoping that they would drop it.

              “and i’m the king of monsters.” Julius bit my ear, “fuck off bitch.”

              “There was no need for violence.” Adonis warned. Julius actually backed down a little bit.

              “nadia?” Copper pressed a cool hand to my neck.

              “I was just thinking about some sad things. I’m not thinking about them anymore though. See?” I forced a smile for my bitties. They just stared back at me blankly, “I’m fine really.”

              When Julius bit me again, Adonis didn’t chastise him for once.

              _Oh lovely. I’ve even managed to anger Adonis._

              No matter how many empty platitudes and assurances I fed my bitties, they just stared at me with doubt in their eyes. Eventually, I was called away from the bridge back to Josephine’s condo to say good-bye. My good-byes were short and simple. I even managed to choke one out to Greyson. My legs fully intended to bolt after forcing out those polite good-byes, but a conversation Sans was having with Grillby caught my attention.

              “i insist on teleporting you back.” Sans frowned at Grillby’s response, “listen grillbz, a lot has changed, yeah, but some assholes will still be assholes. it’s not that hard for me to teleport to greenridge from here. it’s safer for you, and it’ll help me sleep better tonight.”

              “Is there an issue?” I asked.

              “Sans wishes to waste his time by teleporting me to Greenridge.” Grillby responded before Sans could even try, “I’m perfectly fine taking the bus.”

              “I’m not okay with that.” I said simply. Grillby actually went an offended shade of orange because I didn’t back him up immediately, “I do think it would be a waste of time for you to head all the way to Greenridge Sans, but you definitely shouldn’t take a bus Grillby.”

              “you got an alternative?” Sans raised a brow.

              “He could ride back with me. I’m driving home. We live in the same city.” I offered it without really thinking. I didn’t have much in the way of luggage, and I doubted Grillby had much either, “Would that be a suitable compromise? We are heading in the same direction after all.”

              “sure.” Sans shrugged, looking up at Grillby, “you’ll be heading home with nadia then.”

              “I couldn’t impose.” Grillby managed to protest.

              “It wouldn’t be an imposition Grillby.” I huffed, “There’s plenty of room for you to ride home with me. Think nothing of it- really.”

              He thought a lot of it apparently.

              It took some convincing on my end and threatening on Sans’s to get the fire monster to reluctantly agree to ride home with me. I think we might’ve miffed his pride a little bit, but I didn’t trust public transportation to treat him too kindly. My bitties didn’t seem to mind the extra passenger at all. Really, Grillby was the only one being stubborn about all of this.

              “Thank you.” Grillby told me as I began to crank the car, “I hate to bother you like this, but I don’t have my license.”

              “You don’t have a license?” My brows furrowed, “I could understand not having a car since we live in Greenridge…but…what do you use as an ID?”

              “All monsters have an identification card. We’ve had them since we were given rights. “ Grillby flashed a simple ID my way, “I haven’t really needed a license.”

              “You should definitely get one though.” I clucked my tongue, “Have you gotten a book to take the permit test?” Grillby shook his head, “We’ll be stopping by the DMV then. Read it and get your permit. That’s step one. Step two is actually learning how to drive.”

              I couldn’t look over and read Grillby’s responses safely anymore, so Adonis began to read them out to me. Copper, exhausted from being around Raze too much, napped in the back of the car with Babylon and Julius. Saphenous had dived under he chairs for some reason or another, and Cesar opted to sit on my lap. Really, it was a bit of a mess.

              “Who will teach me how to drive?” was Grillby’s response.

              “Do you not have anyone willing to teach you? Friend? Coworker? Family remember?” Grillby shook his head, “Well…I suppose I could teach you then.”

              “I couldn’t ask that of you.” Grillby protested.

              “It’s not that big of a deal Grillby. You need to learn how to drive. I don’t exactly have people lining up for my attention.”

              “IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR HER TO DO SOMETHING BESIDES WORK FOR ONCE.” Cesar chimed in, “LET HER DO IT.”

              “But you could be spending that time to further your career.” Grillby pointed out.

              “I’m fine in that regard Grillby.” I assured the fire monster, reaching out to pat his hand comfortingly, “Trust me. I already put in more hours than a good chunk of my co-workers combined. It’s no issue at all.”

              “If you believe that to be the case, alright. It would make travelling to visit Sans and other monsters in Grayridge easier.” Grillby relented.

              “Got someone special you want to visit?” I teased, taking my hand away. If he had a lover,  I should really keep my hands to myself.

              “Not particularly. Just my cousin and Sans. Things have been rough since Ilya’s death.” Adonis frowned as he read off the response, “Ilya?” He looked up at Grillby.

              “One of his cousins was murdered last fall.” I responded to save Grillby the pain, “Ilya was that cousin.”

              “Ah.” Adonis patted Grillby’s wrist comfortingly, “I’m sorry for your loss.”

              The rest of the ride back was filled with Cesar and Adonis taking turns reading Grillby’s responses to my mundane conversations.

              I learned quite a bit. His younger cousin Fuku worked desperately in college to keep her scholarships while he worked two jobs to pay for his rent and her schooling. The stress had been starting to catch up with him, so his bosses had both eagerly let him take some _unpaid_ time off. Given his lack of surface schooling, there wasn’t much Grillby could really do. He was a good cook and bartender. That was it. Greenridge was already filled to the brim with cheap diners and bars though. Thus, his skills were rendered useless by lack of demand.

              _He’s going to be up to his eyebrows in debt at this rate…_

              I decided then and there to help him out however I could. Getting a license would let him be able to look for better paying work out of the city at least. From there, I drew a mental blank on how to help the young monster without upsetting his obvious sense of pride. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, I realized that I would probably need to speak with someone about this. Instinctively, my mind went to my sisters, but they would probably be too busy trying to pamper Grillby to take into account his pride. _Who else could be helpful in this case…_

              I wracked my mind for a name, a face. I needed someone who could understand the situation better….

              _Daniella?_

              It would be a long shot, but it was worth it.

              Grillby and I were both happy to see Greenridge once more. The simple city was actually welcoming after a couple of days in Grayridge. In some small way, Greenridge had kind of become a new home for me.

              “Thanks again for the ride.” Grillby told me as I dropped him off on one of the streets at his request, “I’m sorry that I imposed so much.” He grabbed his duffle bag.

              “Are you sure you don’t want me to take you home? I don’t mind.” I offered.

              “I’m fine.” Grillby shook his head, “Please, enjoy the rest of your day.”

              _You’re too much of a good kid._

              I watched Grillby disappear into Greenridge’s streets, itching to follow him.

              “He’d be angry if you followed him.” Adonis advised.

              “True.” I sighed, turning my attention to the traffic I would have to fight to get home, “Well….I suppose there isn’t much else I can do right now.”

              My bitties all made noises of agreement.

              _I’ll do something eventually though. That’s a promise Grillby._


	13. Work: A Hot Drink and Food Hazard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> A video game I've been waiting for has finally arrived. That's what I'll be using to decompress and relax during my hiatus. The fresh smell of new plastic really made my evening earlier.

              My co-workers were more than a little shocked when I returned with not one, but two new bitties in tow. They spent most of my first day back gawking at a _very_ irritable Julius and stoic Adonis. The two new bitties didn’t really pay anyone else much mind. They were both too curious about what I was doing to really pay the stunned, bumbling humans any real attention. My other bitties were more annoyed at the constant attention though.

              “I WISH WE HAD A PRIVATE OFFICE AGAIN.” Cesar sighed after shooing yet another one of my co-workers away with some help from Saphenous.

              “ **if only.** ” Saphenous, who didn’t like it when other people came too close to me in general, let out a feral hiss when someone else began to approached, “ **we aren’t your local freakshow.** ”

              “You’re just egging them on.” Babylon sighed tugging on Cesar’s sleeve, “Let them stare. They’ll get bored eventually.”

              “IT’S BOTHERSOME.” Cesar waved his hands in the direction of all the people still edging closer every now and then, “I CAN’T FOCUS WITH THIS MANY IDIOTS TRYING TO SNIFF OUT NEW FACES.”

              “you’re getting too agitated.” Copper called from where he had been sequestered by Adonis earlier that day. The fireroyal wasn’t particularly fond of Copper wandering around when he didn’t have to because of his back, and Copper was too fatigued from the rough “vacation” to really argue that much, “that’ll only rile them up even more. you’re usually not this expressive.”

              “I’M USUALLY NOT THIS ANGRY.” Cesar crossed his arms and tapped his foot in a sharp, staccato beat that made some of my coworkers jump out of their skin, “I’M FIVE MINUTES AWAY FROM LOSING MY MIND.”

              “Cesar.” Adonis’s voice was smooth and clear. Hearing the fireroyal actually say something louder than a murmur for the first time that day, even _more_ of my coworkers zoned in on my desk. _I’m damaging productivity at this rate._ I gritted my teeth as Adonis continued speaking, “Your pacing is more than a little distracting. Please calm down.”

              “HMPH.” Cesar put one fist on his hip and glared at the gaggle of women still gawking at us before reluctantly turning to look at Babylon, “I HAVE NO IDEA HOW YOU CAN BE SO CALM ABOUT ALL OF THIS.” Babylon just shrugged.

              “when you said you were a business woman, i expected something a little more…not this.” Julius lazily scratched his jaw before throwing another whole Jolly Rancher into his mouth and chomping down. The sickening ‘crack’ noise as the candy shattered in his mouth made people flinch, “figured you'd be some kind of big wig.”

              “I was once upon a time. My CEO position was given to someone else instead. Then, that company went under within weeks.” I didn’t turn my attention away from the merger reports I was working on. We needed this to at _least_ turn out to be an alliance. Berken was still reeling from his wife up and leaving him to pursue another man in China, and Highlander had snapped up more than a few of our prospects in that time. Thus, I took over some of the projects my coworkers had in their hands to try and get our company back on track in less than eight hours. _Dammit Berken. You should’ve called me back early if this shit was going down. I wouldn’t be playing catch up if I had some kind of forewarning._

              “You seem to be doing much more work in comparison to those around you.” Adonis frowned, “Is that healthy?”

              “No.” I shrugged one shoulder.

              “Then why are you doing it?” Adonis raised a brow, sounding like he was losing a bit of his patience with me.

              “Because someone has to, and I’m the only one qualified.” I finally managed to finish the reports and open up the e-mails that needed to be drastically revised and sent off, “It’s not usually like this though.”

              “ **you’re going to bed early tonight.** ” Saphenous told me simply.

              “Says who?” I looked down at him and raised a critical brow, “I’m not a child.”

              “you still need to rest.” Copper backed Saphenous up immediately, “you won’t be a help to anyone if you’re stumbling around exhausted.”

              “I just had a nice vacation unless you ha-“ I was cut off by the sound of Cesar smacking my arm.

              “THAT WAS HELL NOT A VACATION.” Cesar growled, “YOU DO NEED A PROPER ONE AT LEAST.”

              “It wasn’t that bad.” I argued.

              “family drama doesn’t really sound like paradise to me.” Julius dug a stuck shard of Jolly Rancher from between his teeth, “i think you look more relaxed here actually.”

              _The world of business is a bit more of an…easier place to navigate for me I guess. It’s easy to broker deals, write up reports, and deal with idiots on a daily basis. There’s no emotional investment into this. It’s almost clinical._

              “I suppose I am. Work relaxes me.” I tapped the top of his head. Julius almost bit me again, but I had learned his tells. He clenched the right side of his jaw whenever he was about to snap at me, “Now please just glutton yourself on candy and don’t harass my co-workers.”

              “I’ll make sure he toes the line.” Adonis assured me, fixing one of his cuff links with an expert hand. It was rather odd to see Cesar and Adonis stand next to my other bitties. They usually dressed sharply, professionally while the others were various mixtures of punk, gluttonous slob, and moody hunter. We all did wear a lot of black though. _What that says about us as people is beyond me._

              “Thank you. I don’t need that kind of distraction right about now.” Not when I needed to cram five days of work into one day. My hand reached for my mug of coffee, and I rejoiced at the nice hit of caffeine.

              “Newmore.”

              _Goddammit Berken. I will put a fucking bell on you._

              The coffee scorched my throat a little in my shock. My boss could be eerily quiet when he wanted to be, and- as usual- he caught me off guard while I was lost in my work. With the smell of coffee filling my nose and my throat more than a little unhappy with my life decisions, I turned to look at my boss. Berken would look fine to the average eye. Only I noticed the slight bags under his eyes, the slight downward turn of his usual smirk. He didn’t look too bad, but he was definitely haggard around the edges. _I guess Highlander’s success in getting her sister away from him actually hurt him more than I thought it would. Did he actually love her? Is there actually love in business?_ Like most people, I had assumed that the two got married to make the companies appear stronger. The idea that something more was there was quite intriguing.

              “Yes sir?” I accidentally let out a slight cough, “Sorry sir.”

              “It’s fine. I startled you.” Berken waved my concerns away, “I heard that you’ve been doing some good work since you got back- _just_ got back.”

              “Of course sir. I always do good work.” _Why would I do subpar work? That would be ridiculous._

              “More than usual. I’ve gotten quite a few happy phone calls from businesses ready to run over to..” _Highlander,_ “..our rivals, but they decided to stick around after you fixed negotiations and reports.”

              “I am always looking out for your best interests sir.” I assured him, “Repairing things is“ _~~Something your terrible at.~~_ “-easy for me to do.”

              “Well, I just wanted to let you know that you’ve impressed me today.” Berken paused, staring at my desk. I followed his gaze and noticed Adonis looking right back at him, “Adonis? I thought she…left you in Grayridge.”

              “She did. Miss Newmore adopted me.” Adonis responded simply.

              _They know each other?_

              “Mr. Berken?” I looked between the two and asked the question with my eyes alone.

              “Adonis used to be my wi- _ex_ -wife’s bitty.” Berken explained, “Our relationship became particularly fractured when she told me that she had up and left him in Grayridge. I didn’t even know about it until she returned…”

              “I was only on my own for two days. The bartender at the hotel she was staying at took care of me in that time.” Adonis tucked his hands into his pockets, “I wasn’t in any real danger. I’m in a safe place now.”

              “I see…” Berken nodded. Some part of me thought he might actually ask for Adonis back, “Take good care of him Newmore. He’s a good bitty.”

              “I will sir.” I promised him, smiling despite my nerves still thrumming under my skin. I didn’t want to lose any member of my little bitty fa-menagerie if I could avoid it, “And thank you for the praise.”

              “It’s well deserved.” Berken smoothly slid back into the role of competent CEO, “You know, I’m hosting a gala in celebration of taking over another company. I’d like you to come since you’ve been instrumental to my enterprises ever since you came here.”

              “I…” _A gala? Like a formal gala? The ones I’m used to going to and would **love** to finally go to again!? _“...don’t believe I’m of sufficient rank to attend such an event sir…” _Oh I wish I was though. I really, really do._

              “I’m inviting impressive staff members.” Berken smiled at me, “Our new sister company needs a new CEO after all- someone I can trust to not stab me in the back in the long run _and_ keep everything running with an iron fist.”

              _Well sir, I was the best CEO in Grayridge if that helps any._

              “I’m flattered by the offer sir.” My voice came out a little bit more bubbly than I wanted it to, but I managed to maintain a cool, collected face, “I would love to attend.”

              “I’ll e-mail you the details then.” Berken patted my back, “Now, I should get out of your way. You get testy whenever people get in your way while you work.”

              “I do not.” I argued instinctively. Berken- thankfully- just laughed at my defensiveness, “Sorry sir. I haven’t finished having my coffee.”

              “Like I said. You get testy.” Berken chuckled, walking off.

              In the brief pause that followed, I zoned in on Adonis.

              “Why didn’t you inform me of your status?” My voice came out more strained than I thought it would.

              “I didn’t think it to be relevant. I knew that James had mentioned on one or two occasions, but Heather always got too angry whenever he did. You were rivals with him at some point yes?” Adonis questioned.

              “YOU WERE?” Cesar blinked, stunned that Adonis knew something about me that he didn’t.

              “Back when I first took the CEO role my parents gave me. Berken was my most direct competition, so yes, one could say we were rivals. During that time, we established a professional, polite duel for power that ended with a nice compromise. I wouldn’t say we’re friends however. Merely two sharks swimming in the same expanse of the sea.” _Maybe Berken trusts me so much because he knows how I act towards my rivals._

              “I’m just glad that didn’t blow up in our faces. Berken doesn’t seem to be in the best state of mind right now.” Babylon sighed, sitting down by his father, “Though, I can’t really blame him.”

              “it’s still weird how humans can claim a mate and then just walk away from them.” Copper struggled to scratch an itch on his back. Babylon did it for him.

              “Sometimes there are reasons to do so.” I said quietly. My cheek had a phantom sting crawl across it, “Not everyone is a good person.”

              “THAT IS UNDERSTANDABLE.” Cesar’s face twisted into an angry snarl when he remembered Edgar as well, “I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY SOME PEOPLE LEAVE FOR NO REASON HOWEVER. BERKEN DOESN’T STRIKE ME AS A HORRIBLE HUSBAND.”

              “You never really know.” I shrugged, “Not every bitty mates for life right?”

              “Typically we do- the rare exceptions usually being quite painful for the victim party. You could think of that injured poppy as an example.” Adonis paused to remember the name, “Willoughby is a prime example of a bitty who has mated more than once due to the first mate being horrible. His new one seems to be kinder- if a bit lazy.”

              “ **the orange string bean right**?” Saphenous’s tongue traced his teeth as he thought, “ **that guy weirded me out a lot**.”

              “Harley?” I cocked my head, “He’s just your typical lil’ bro.”

              “fuck no he ain’t.” Julius snorted, “you ever watch his mannerisms? he’s always a bit paranoid- which was fucking annoying to watch.”

              “he also had scars on the back of his neck.” Copper rubbed his own in sympathy, “he wasn’t a fighter bitty though. didn’t have the attitude.”

              “FIGHTING BITTIES HAVE AN ATTITUDE?” Cesar raised a skeletal brow.

              “yeah. depends on their situation, but you can always tell if someone’s been through the ring or not. they got this way of walking- like they’re always in danger. it’s something that gets drilled into us, so we’ve always got it going on.” Copper carefully stretched his stiff joints.

              “ **you just wobble around though**.” Saphenous said with a blank face. Trying to tell if he was teasing or not remained as difficult as it always did.

              “i also have severe spine damage.” Copper flipped him off, “i’m lucky i can walk at all.”

              “Which is why your insistence on walking around when you don’t need to be continues to puzzle me.” Adonis hummed.

              “only the dead stay still.” Copper said bluntly.

              “My dad’s a special case alright.” Babylon grumbled at Adonis, who was extremely patient with the younger bitties “chip on my shoulder” attitude towards him. _His jealousy is going to end up turning him green at some point._ “Just leave him alone.”

              “COPPER DID HAVE TO ENDURE MORE THAN MOST BITTIES WOULD. SOME MANNERISMS AND HABITS ARE HARDER TO BREAK THAN OTHERS.” Cesar actually came to Babylon’s aid. It actually made the hybrid perk up a little bit.

              “you’re all total fucking weirdos.” Julius grumbled.

              “ **get used to it. doesn’t get any better.** ” Saphenous shrugged.

              “you’re no better! leaving bits of bone everywhere.” Julius snapped. Saphenous’s blank look just agitated him even more.

              “Enough.” My voice fell firmly over them, “No more bickering. We have work to do.”

              _Way too much work to do. It must be done though._

              The rest of my day went well. I ended up skipping lunch- much to my bitties displeasure- in favor of blasting through more of my work. There was so much to be done in such a short amount of time, _and_ the gala looming over my head made me want to impress more than ever. I had caught people’s attention. Call me greedy if you like, but I was damn well not going to lose any opportunity to get back where I belonged.

              “Eat.” Adonis told me firmly. The bitties had gone and reheated my lunch without my consent, but I could tell that they were growing annoyed with how attached I was to my computer, “You must restore your energy.”             

              “I need to-“

              “i’ll unplug your goddamn computer if you don’t.” Copper warned.

              “Fine.” I reluctantly saved my work and picked up my food. They managed to overheat it into a somewhat broiling mess, but a bit of warmth in the cold office wasn’t a bad thing, “You are all such mother hens sometimes.”

              “YOU DON’T TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, SO SOMEONE HAS TO DO IT.” Cesar sighed, watching me carefully blow cool air over the spoon of soup, “YOU CAUSE ME SO MUCH TROUBLE…”

              “Yes well. There’s little I can do about that.” I took a bite of the food. It tasted a bit off since it wasn’t fresh anymore.

              “You made an unhappy face. What’s wrong with it?” Babylon tugged on my sleeve.

              “Nothing. It’s just gone a bit…stale…kind of…It tastes off because I didn’t eat it when I was supposed to.” I patted his head and took another bite of the hot soup.

              “Nadia!” The chipper voice and smack on my back made me choke on another hot liquid.

              _…Daniella…_

              “I’m so glad you’re back!” She squeezed me in a hug while I struggled to finish swallowing the soup in my mouth. My tongue burned uncomfortably, but I couldn’t really get mad at her. My bitties actually grinned. _Sadistic little bastards._

              “Well, it is good to know someone noted my absence.” I patted her arm awkwardly.

              “I noticed it every single day!” Daniella finally released me to speak with her hands, “I would come here and say “Hello Nadia” only to remember that you weren’t here, and _of course_ the day you come back I’m stuck in meeting after meeting after meeting. I’m just glad that I finally got the opportunity to speak with you.”

              “Did you need something?” I asked politely, slipping another spoon of soup into my mouth to appease my bitties.

              “Some of the girls and I were talking about having some fun this Saturday evening. I wanted to invite you because I wanted to celebrate your birthday somehow.” Daniella gave me a big doe-eyed look that made me wish I had practiced on breaking hearts a little bit more, “It’d only be for a couple of hours and _totally_ fun! If you don’t like it, you can leave, but some stress relief would be good for you.”

              “I’m not so certain I’d be as welcome as you think I’d be…” The women watching Daniella ask me to attend had dark looks on their faces, “I’m not exactly anyone’s favorite…”

              “Oh posh!” Daniella waved her hands and looked at my bitties, “Don’t you guys think she needs a night out to herself? You guys would get your entire apartment to just chill too!”

              My bitties actually looked like they were thinking about it.

              “it would do you some good.” Copper said first, a smug look on his face.

              “You work too much.” Babylon agreed.

              The rest of my bitties- minus Julius who found the whole thing stupid- also quietly nudged me towards the idea.

              _Traitors. All of you._

              I glared at them before turning my attention back to Daniella.

              “I’ll go then.” _It’ll probably just be some jaunt to a club of some sorts…something I am way too old for._

              “Yay! Great!” Daniella squeezed me into another hug, “I’ll text you a time later.” She actually kissed my cheek before leaving.

              “Wait!” I called out after her, “Where are we going?” I took another bite of food.

              “Oh that new strip club downtown. I’ll send you an address.”

              _I’m getting **very** tired on choking on hot liquids._

              …

              _A STRIP CLUB!?_

“You will pay for this.” I glowered at my laughing bitties. Even Adonis seemed a little bit amused, “All of you. I mean it.”

              “ **i hope you have some $1 bills.** ” Saphenous grinned up at me.

              _Someone save me._


	14. Bathroom Warrior

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> Raj...Sparta appears now :3

              “you’ve honestly never been to a strip club before?” Copper watched as I tried my best to figure out what one wears to a strip club.

              “No. I’ve never had the luxury of doing so.” My parents would have murdered me if I did, “This is going to be worse than I thought.”

              “It won’t be too bad.” Babylon waved away my concerns, “You’re just exaggerating. Maybe you’ll have fun!”

              _I doubt that sweetheart, but you’re precious for trying to cheer me up._

              “I don’t believe this will work.” Adonis threw aside another one of my dresses, “You do have a normal cocktail dress don’t you?”

              “I have many cocktail dresses, but they’re all long sleeved.” I had the distinct feeling that Daniella and her friends would be dressed more…well…lustfully?

              “I don’t see why that matters. You’d be comfortable in one yes?” Adonis looked at where Cesar and Saphenous were looking through my closet. Julius sat on my vanity in front of me glaring at all of the jewelry like it offended him.

              “I wear them all the time, so yes. I just… I don’t really…I have no idea what I’m doing.” I answered honestly, “Daniella is more than likely five to eight years younger than me, and it’s hard to make a connection even over such a short bridge.”

              “YOU DIDN’T HAVE THAT ISSUE WITH GRILLBY.” Cesar pointed out, bringing out one of black cocktail dresses with a vibrant gray and red pattern that spread across the torso and sleeves.

              “He’s mature for his age.” I argued taking the dress from him, “Would this work?” It was a bit shorter than I usually liked, but it would still cover everything it needed to and then some.

              “It should.” Adonis nodded, “You should view this as a nice break.”

              “Breaks are relaxing.” I dropped the towel I was wearing to get changed. My bitties all turned away- except for Cesar who had grown numb to my naked body at that point- with various forms of embarrassment on their faces, “There is nothing relaxing about being dragged to an establishment where oiled up men in skimpy clothing writhe around with dicks all but hanging out.” I sighed, “Hopefully I can pull Daniella away to a bar and enjoy a couple of drinks away from the dancers tonight.”

              “she’s married, so you might be able to.” Copper kept his hands over his son’s eyes, “you don’t have to go if it makes you this worked up.”

              “I don’t want to disappoint Daniella.” I zipped up my dress and looked at myself in the mirror. I still filled the outfit out well, so it hugged every curve perfectly. My vanity went up a couple of notches to say the least, “Besides, I need to practice on what it’s like to be somewhat average. My stiff behavior and mannerisms don’t hold up well with the middle class.”

              “ARE YOU SURE IT’S NOT JUST HOW INTIMIDATING YOU CAN BE?” Cesar cocked his head.

              “That too.” I looked down at my feet, “Saphenous. Bring me the bright red stilletos.”

              “ **which ones**? **you have like twenty pairs of them…** ” Saphenous’s voice came from the messy pile of shoes he had made.

              “Saphenous.” A wry smile crawled across my face despite the time I would lose trying to find the shoes I needed.

              “oh, so he makes a mess and it’s sweet. i do it, and I’m a jackass.” Julius growled.

              “If you weren’t such a troublemaker, you wouldn’t be constantly called a jackass.” Adonis pointed out.

              “i ain’t done nothing lately!” Julius protested.

              “Lately.” Babylon chimed in, “Our point exactly.” Adonis nodded.

              “fuck you guys!” Julius spat.

              “can we please throw him out of the window?” Copper groaned.

              “NO.” Cesar let out a weary huff of breath, “HE IS GETTING BETTER AT LEAST- QUIETER.”

              “ **are these the ones you’re talking about**?” Saphenous surfaced with a pair of my glittery red pumps.

              “No.” I shook my head and crouched down, “Not those….hmm…where did they end up?”

              It didn’t take me too long to locate the shoes I needed and finish getting ready. My bitties did end up being a bit more of a hindrance than being helpful, but they were just acting clingy due to what could only be described as separation anxiety. They weren’t used to seeing me go off on my own at all. _The poor dears. I think I’ve given them some greys without even walking out of the door yet…_

              “I’m off.” I bent down to kiss the top of Cesar’s head, “You all listen to Adonis and Cesar. No bullying Julius. Copper, you had better take your medication and rest. Adonis has my full permission to make you comply if you try to dodge it.” I gave my orders with brisk, even words, “You guys had better not harass the neighbors or our landlord. Leave the phone alone unless you need to contact me. Don’t damage any of our appliances- they’re expensive.”

              “ **we’re not teenagers.** ” Saphenous reminded me, prodding my bare calf with one of his blades until I bent down to pick him up and give him a kiss on the head as well.

              “Sometimes I wonder.” I groused putting him on the coffee table, “In short, please behave. Seriously. None of you are that immature.”

              “We’ll be fine.” Adonis assured me, “I’ll take care of everything.”

              “Thank you.” I rubbed his cheek with my thumb. He actually made a soft purring noise.

              Parting from my bitties was a bit harder than I thought it would be. My shoulders felt too light, and I kept awkwardly shifting my purse from arm to arm because I didn’t have Cesar’s familiar weight there. It was almost like I was walking without my usual armor on. An uncomfortable feeling raced up and down my spine. A single woman walking around the streets at night wasn’t a good thing- especially when she had no real means to defend herself. It was easy to walk with my bitties because I knew that they would do anything in their power to protect me if things came to a head, but at that moment, I was alone.

              _Note to self: Keep bitties with you at all times. Lack of bitties makes you very nervous, anxious, and moody._

              I struggled to remember if I had taken my medication that morning. Adonis and Copper probably made sure I did, so I managed to write off that concern. Honestly, the butterflies in my stomach and the anxious knots forming in my joints were simply caused by my own paranoia and fear. Some part of me wanted to return back to the apartment and call the whole thing off- or at the very least retrieve my bitties.

              _No. I promised Daniella to come. I won’t let her down._

              It wasn’t as though the young woman could recognize my anxiety or nerves. She had no idea that such simple tasks could reduce me to such a mess. Her innocence left me more than a little pained on more than one occasion. _Come now Nadia. Grow a spine. Back straight, chin up, eyes forward, shoulders back, and **stride**_. _You’re Nadia Newmore- nothing phases you, nothing scares you._ Chanting the mantra I had drilled into my head from a young age actually managed to help calm me down some. I couldn’t be myself yet because I didn’t know who “myself” was. I could be Nadia Newmore though. She was a familiar mask that saw me through thick and thin- hell _and_ high water.

              My nerves slowly began to calm as I pulled on that façade bit by bit. Straightening my mouth into a placid, flat line helped my shoulders stand tall. Schooling my face into a cold, serene expression made each step I took more confident. This night would not be the end of me. Even if things went horribly wrong, I would continue. My path forward wouldn’t be hindered by such trivial issues. Nadia Victoria Newmore does _not_ hesitate or tremble. She does not. She cannot.

              _~~But she can break. She always does. In the shadows you like to pretend don’t follow you are the corpses of everything you’ve ever given up, ever lost because you’re a pathetic coward.~~_

              Like everything else that wanted to tear me down, I grabbed that last inner demon and cast it aside. Nadia Newmore had no need for such emotions, such demons. The ice queen had no heart. She damn well didn’t need one.

              The strip club I had been invited to was unimpressive. The dancers weren’t too skilled at their craft yet, and the garish colors clashed in the bright lights. Women filled the seats and crooned at the struggling greens trying their best to please the crowd. All of the glitter and confetti stuck to my shoes and made me wish I had a broom. The soft sounds of mice tittering could just barely be heard when the music briefly stopped to play a new track.

              _This place is disgusting._

              I couldn’t condemn the poor young men stuck here though. They were trying their best with their situation. It was the outright manhandling of them that made my stomach curdle. The women in the crowd didn’t seem to understand the concept of personal space, but no one said a damn thing. Of course, if this were a reversed situation- female dancers being harassed by male customers- the offending party would be tossed out onto the streets without a refund. My skin crawled uncomfortably once more.

              _No…this place is vile._

              “Nadia!” Daniella waved me over towards a table tucked close to one of the dancing platforms. She was the only one not drooling over the muscular young man dancing for them, “I’m glad you made it.”

              “Mmm…” I couldn’t let my distaste for this whole thing show, so I forced a slight, wan smile, “Sorry, I’m a bit tired. Getting back into the swing of things was rougher than I expected.”

              “You took on waaay too much of a workload.” Daniella scolded me, pressing a kiss to my cheek once more. Her dark purple lipstick smeared across my cheek, and I immediately wanted to wipe it off. Only years of containing my true reaction to things kept my hand from flying up to scrub my face clean, “Well, it’s time for you to kick back, relax, and get drunk as a skunk!”

              “I won’t be consuming much alcohol I’m afraid. Maybe one or two drinks, but I need to get home tonight.” I kept my word choice delicately neutral. It would be rude to flat out deny having a drink or two because I was back from my “vacation”. Drinking when no one had any investment in what I was doing was one thing. Drinking when I had a potential promotion on the line was another.

              “Boo!” Daniella pouted, “That’s no fun. Come on Nadia. This is a time where we girls get to just stretch out and have fun. There’s no point in being a stick in the mud.” I could smell the alcohol on her breath, so I didn’t take anything she said personally, “Cooommmee ooonnn…” She whined.

              “No thank you dear.” I also needed to make sure that I didn’t drink anything with gluten in it. It would more than likely be wise to go speak to the bartender directly, “I appreciate the sentiment though. Have all the fun you desire. I don’t mind making sure everyone gets home safely.”

              Daniella stuck her tongue out at me playfully. Again, her youth made me feel like an old woman. Perhaps this evening would have been more enjoyable for me if I were five to eight years younger with much less experience in pain and suffering. I had no option to do so however, so I just tried my best to emulate the young women around me without turning into a raving freak.

              My coworkers- who were all slowly getting drunker and drunker- actually began to open up to me a little bit. They were mostly young women who wanted a lavish lifestyle without the hard work. They pouted and whined about not getting paid enough. Since they were drunk, I didn’t bother to argue that they were working the bare minimum. They deserved bare minimum pay. People like myself and other workers who worked the maximum got the maximum pay. Their prattling grated on my nerves a bit, but I decided to merely hold my tongue. _It’s a sad, sad say when the youth feels so entitled to what they want that they complain about having to work for it on their own._

              I made a mental note to deny any of these future gatherings. My personality and beliefs didn’t mesh well with the crowd I was forced into, and I refused to constantly have to put up with their antics when I knew that they weren’t fond of me at all. Even though the alcohol had loosened them up some, they still blatantly disliked me- some even hated me. Only a fool would suffer for those who didn’t like them.

              “I’m going to go the bar and get a drink.” I whispered to Daniella.

              “Want me to come with you.” Daniella slurred.

              “No dear. I’ll be fine.” I patted her arm and stood up, “You enjoy yourself.”

              It was a miracle that I didn’t run from that goddamn table. This whole evening had slowly showed me how much of a disconnect there was between my coworkers and I, and I didn’t like it- not one bit. How in the world was I supposed to get along with people who didn’t even want to _work_ for what they earned? It was maddening- truly and utterly maddening.

              I took a seat at the relatively neat little bar tucked in the corner of the place. It wasn’t as flashy as the rest of the building, and only a couple of other women- lesbians. I could tell because they were practically dry humping each other- were actually sitting at the bar. The others were focused in on the main attraction of the evening.

              A cell phone slid across to me, and I read what it said.

              “Hello. What can I get you?”

              I looked up and found a rather cheeky looking Grillby looking back at me.

              “Grillby? This is your second job?” I cocked my head. He held up three fingers, “Third? Why do you need another job?”

              “Our rent doubled.” Grillby explained. He looked a little…well…war torn almost. Bouncing around from job to job every week had to be horrible on his sleep schedule, “It’s not as bad as one would think though.”

              “Grillby.” My hand went up to his slightly thin looking face, “You’re overworking yourself sweetheart. I don’t think Fuku would like you to keep going on like this.”

              “I don’t have much of a choice. My other jobs won’t pay me as well.” Grillby made that familiar sighing noise.             

              “’Won’t’ pay you well?” I felt anger burning in my stomach.

              “They aren’t fond of monsters. They keep refusing to promote me or give me the raises that all of my coworkers agree I deserve.” Grillby frowned, “I think they only hired me because they had to.”

              “That is…that is…” My hand curled into a fist, “Infuriating. How dare they do such a thing. Have you spoken to the BBB?”

              “The what?” Grillby cocked his head.

              “Better Business Bureau.” I explained. The blank look on his face told me hadn’t, “Grillby…” I sighed and began to explain how Grillby could out these bastards for their wrong doings. I was genuinely surprised no one had really bothered to sit down with some of the monsters and explain how the world up here works.

              “I see. Thank you for the advice.” Grillby said after it was all said and done, “I’ll see about contacting this BBB.”

              “You should.” I said firmly. _How in the hell can I somehow give him money dammit? He wouldn’t take it if I just wrote him up a check…Gaahh...Oh right…I meant to speak with Daniella about this…_

              “Anyways. What can I get you to drink?” Grillby asked me again.

              “That drink you made on the beach if you can make it.” I told him, “It was delicious.”

              “Coming right up.” Grillby smiled.

              I didn’t even bother going back to the table for the rest of the evening. I sipped on the lovely drinks that Grillby made and chatted with him about various topics. I felt Nadia Newmore slowly slide down from her perch on my face. “Myself” took her place and seemed to enjoy the relaxed attention. There wasn’t any fear, any nervousness. Grillby acted like a balm on my anxiety. His mature, quiet nature helped me work through my social eccentricities, and I managed to help him figure out how better interact with humans who wanted to push him around.

              “You’re very helpful.” Grillby told me, “Honestly, it’s a bit surprising. You were more than a little stiff during our first meeting.”

              “I was still….recovering from some things I guess. I still am, but…I’m trying more I guess.” I took another sip of my drink and swung the glass in small, lazy circles in my hand to make the ice clink together, “I don’t mind helping you out though. Really, you’re kind of the only person who treats me like I’m normal.”

              _Well…That was embarrassing. No more alcohol for the evening._

              I tried to avoid looking at him because of how red my face had gotten. He tapped the back of my hand to get my attention.

              “I feel the same way.” The words were accompanied by Grillby turning a light shade of red. He rapidly typed out a second response, “Most humans just see me as a monster, and monsters just see me a kid. It’s nice to be treated like someone’s equal for a change.”

              I could only nod in agreement.

              “Well Grillby.” I held up the slight remains of my drink in a mock toast, “I’d say this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” _I need to watch_ Casablanca _again…_ Grillby nodded in agreement.

              Eventually, towards the end of my “night out” my bladder decided that it had too much alcohol. After paying Grillby, I slid into the women’s restroom. It was- thankfully- empty. I quickly checked my make-up before heading into a stall. I was fixing my dress when some women barged into the bathroom.

              “I say we should just drown it.” One of the women crooned.

              “It’s a fish thing you dumbass. That won’t work.”

              I heard the soft sounds of something struggling and snarling.

              “Ow! It bit me! I say we burn it!” Another woman added.

              I heard the sound of a cigarette pressing against skin and pained yowl.

              My stall door screamed against its hinges as I flew out to face the women...

              My… _coworkers?_

              “Ah shit. It’s the bitty bitch.” One of the women snorted. I finally noticed the small version of my twin’s friend Undyne in one of their hands.

              “What are you doing?” My voice was clipped.

              “Getting rid of this thing.” The woman holding the cigarette pressed it against the undyne-bitty once more, “I know you get a wet cunt for them, but they’re fucking disg-“

              My hand flew out faster than I could imagine. My fist cracked across her face hard enough to dig my nails into my palm. The rings I wore stung, but I doubted that I broke a finger. The stunned woman dropped the undyne-bitty wearing dark red and black clothing. My mental codex for bitties- which had been reviewed and rebuilt after I adopted Adonis- immediately pegged her as a jaws. _Who does she belong to?_

              Before the drunks could react, I had snatched up the jaws into my hands. She snarled and bit me for picking her up, but I didn’t hold it against her. Her clothing was tattered. Her hair was matted. She looked underfed and pale. I ran a calm thumb across her forehead despite the pain lancing up my arm and glared at the women.

              “You are sick, _twisted_ individuals. I’ll be informing Berken about this.”

              I somehow managed to get out of that bathroom alive and uninjured. They ended up missing me when they lunged forward, so they had formed a drunken dogpile without meaning to. Grillby spotted me fleeing the bathroom and frowned. I forced a smile and walked over to him.

              “Hey, you know that young woman I was talking with earlier?” I nodded over to where a drunken Daniella was dancing along to the music. Grillby nodded, “Could you make sure she gets home safely? I need to leave- now.”

              “Of course. Do you need me to walk you home?” Grillby’s frown deepened once he noticed the injured bitty in my hands.

              “No. I’ll be fine. Thank you.” Out of habit with my bitties.  I stood up and kissed his cheek. I also paused to quickly scrawl my cellphone number onto a nearby napkin using a pen from his pocket. Grillby blushed as I gave it to him, “Have a good night Grillby.”

              “You too.” Was his final message to me before I ran from the club. The drunks had managed to disentangle themselves from each other, but my mostly sober steps carried me away faster than they could catch up to me.

              That night went horribly.

              I guessed I wasn’t able to have good things- yet anyways.


	15. The Beginnings of a Bitty Hermit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> Sparta and Julius have become total bros in my mind....seriously. Like, they aren't romantically involved at all- and won't be-, but they do have a nice "go fuck yourself other people" chemistry that I actually like to play with.

              Sparta- as we had taken to calling her- finally regained full consciousness with all of my bitties crowded around her. Her body had been bandaged and treated for the burns and bruises she accumulated, and her tattered clothing had been removed in favor of putting her in some of Cesar’s clothing. It had taken us some time to untangle her hair. Ultimately, we had to shift the knotted bundles down to the ends of her hair and cut it off. She didn’t look too terrible at least. My bitties- who had been more than a little shocked that I returned with another bitty in tow- had jumped to help try and piece together this broken jaws.

              “What the hell!” Sparta struggled to get away from them when Adonis, Cesar, and Julius clamped down on her to keep her from moving too much, “Release me!” She snarled.

              “Please calm down.” Babylon pleaded gently, “You’re going to reopen your wounds.”

              The word ‘wounds’ caught her attention. She stopped struggling and looked down at the various bandages and splints on her body. Now that she didn’t seem as likely to fly off the handle, Adonis, Cesar, and Julius released her. Honestly, the edgy’s willingness to help her surprised me, but I guess anyone would be moved to action if they saw Sparta in the state she had been in.

              “What the hell…happened?” Sparta held up her splinted wrist and glared at it like it offended her.

              “I actually wanted to ask you that.” I sat down on the ground beside the coffee table and gingerly ran a hand through her hair. She recoiled at first, but calmed once she noticed that there weren’t any knots for my fingers to catch on, “I found you being beaten and tormented. Do you remember how you got into their grasp?”

              “I…” Sparta held her uninjured hand up to her injured eye. She actually seemed surprised to have a patch over it.

              “IT’S ONE OF MINE. YOUR EYE WAS IN NEED OF SOME MAITENANCE, SO I CLEANED IT FOR YOU.” Cesar tapped his own eye patch, “YOU’RE ACTUALLY WEARING SOME OF MY OLDER, POORLY FITTING CLOTHING.”

              “ **which means he got too fat.** ” Saphenous ducked under a bone spear Cesar threw his way.

              “no fighting around the injured party.” Copper warned, “she doesn’t need that kind of excitement right now.”

              “I agree.” Adonis double checked her splint on her injured wrist, “You should rest. Miss Nadia, could you hand me the monster candy bottle?”

              “Mhm.” I reached over and grabbed it from the far end of the coffee table, “She shouldn’t take too many though. It’ll make her magic not want to produce as much of itself.” Adonis made a soft noise of acknowledgement.

              “Why the hell did you save me?”  Sparta snarled once she finally managed to really get her bearings. She reluctantly accepted the bit of monster candy Adonis offered her to dull the pain she must’ve been in, “You lot with a fighting ring?”

              “WHY DOES EVERYONE ASSUME WE’RE INVOLVED WITH FIGHTING RINGS!?” Cesar exclaimed, completely and utterly exasperated, “WE MOST CERTAINLY ARE _NOT_ INVOLVED IN SUCH ACTIVITIES. THOSE ABOMINATIONS ARE RUN BY VILE CREATURES WHO DESERVE THE WORST LOT IN LIFE POSSIBLE.”

              “We’re not with the rings. Were you?” I asked.

              “No. Almost got caught up by one though.” Sparta reluctantly spoke, “My previous owner tossed me out before even giving me a name. Been stuck on the streets ever since.”

              “That must’ve been a hard life.” Adonis made a soft sad noise.

              “Pfft. No worse than some of the shit bitties have to go through.” Sparta made an annoyed face in his direction, “You didn’t answer my question human. Why did you save me?”

              “Because what kind of monster could sit back and let a bitty be tortured?” I could tell Sparta wasn’t happy with that answer. She didn’t seem to believe me.

              “Nadia’s good people.” Babylon assured her, “Really.”

              “ **mm…she does put up with you lot.** ” Saphenous yawned.

              “oh quit acting like you’re a paragon of fucking good behavior.” Julius spat. Saphenous didn’t bat an eye lash.

              “no fighting around the injured party.” Copper reminded them again. Adonis went a shade of deep, threatening gold that silenced the two bitties before things could escalate even further.

              “I won’t hurt you Sparta. I assure you that is the last thing on my mind.” I promised her, “If you’d like, I could take you to the Grayridge BCC and leave it at that, or you could stay here with us. It doesn’t matter to me either way.”

              Sparta was silent.

              “DID SHE FALL UNCONCIOUS AGAIN?” Cesar leaned down.

              “how the fuck does someone fall unconscious with their eye open dumbass?” Julius sighed.

              “i’ve seen it before.” Copper shrugged, “some bitties are used to literally sleeping with one eye open.” Adonis gave him what could only be described as a worried look, “i wasn’t one of them.”

              “Sparta…did you call _me_ that?” Sparta looked up at me, “A name?”

              “He’s the one who gave it to you.” I pointed at Adonis, “I thought it to be fitting.”

              “It is.” Adonis said simply, “We could change it if you don’t like it however.”

              Sparta fell silent once more. I could see her tangoing with the ideas in her mind. She was actually more expressive than I thought she would be- frowning, scowling, and pouting in random, rapid successions until she finally made a decision. Her lips where in a thin, paranoid line when she looked up at me.

              “Fine.” The simple word left me more than a little confused, “I’ll stay here.”

              “and we got another crazy in this madhouse.” Julius grumbled walking away from the group and hopping down off of the coffee table, “whoopee.”

              “ **no need to be bitter.** ” Saphenous chided him while also sliding down- more than likely to go hunting, ” **if you weren’t such a spoiled piece of shit, maybe you would’ve had a better reception too.** ”

              Julius lunged at Saphenous, but the smaller, faster bitty just ducked around him and went on his merry way, leaving Julius to groan against the hard ground of the apartment crankily.

              “PLEASE DON’T DAMAGE THE FLOOR.” Cesar sighed.

              “fuck you.” Julius wheezed.

              Sparta recovered relatively quickly in the next few hours. With small doses of monster candy every now and then, the bruises and sprains melted away into minor annoyances. The nasty burns on her arm and stomach took much longer to recover because of her water loving nature. I could tell it annoyed Adonis to no end that he really couldn’t do much beyond gently redressing the wounds without risk of damaging her skin further, but he managed to hold it back behind his calm expression- only the slight curl of his fingers betrayed him.

              “You work in a what?” Sparta tore into the cooked hamburger meat I had given her for dinner. Saphenous made a disgusted face and looked more than a little ready to puke.

              “An office. It’s a bit crowded I’m afraid.” I ate my own dinner with little fanfare, “People shouldn’t really be too troublesome however.”

              “they mostly tend to just avoid us in the first place.” Copper rested on his side on the couch. He couldn’t eat after having his bandages redone because of the pain he was in, so his food just sat off to the side, slowly cooling, “her boss doesn’t mind if you chomp on an idiot that gets too close.”

              “She also let Berken know about what those women did.” Babylon looked up at me, “They were fired right?”

              “Mhm. Having women like that would be like having a puppy kicker in the workplace- bad for business if their crimes ever came to light. They weren’t good workers anyways.” I assured her, “They aren’t going to be missed.”

              _Daniella was more than a little confused though._

              The poor girl had been stunned to learn that three of her coworkers were suddenly not going to show up on Monday, but she was at least polite enough to not give me shit about it. She even listened to my side of the story- which was a nice change of pace.

              “We go with you?” Sparta frowned.

              “ **always.** ” Saphenous managed to grit out.

              “WE CAN’T JUST STAY HERE ALONE ALL OF THE TIME.” Cesar sounded offended at the mere suggestion of me going to work alone, “THERE ISN’T ANY REALLY ISSUE WITH GOING WITH HER. THE STARS KNOW THAT JULIUS IS MORE PREOCCUPIED WITH RAIDING THE STAFF FRIDGE, AND NO ONE SAYS ANYTHING.”

              “hey!” Julius growled.

              “It’s the truth though.” Babylon let out an annoyed puff of air before looking at Sparta, “You shouldn’t worry too much about it.”

              “Everything will be fine.” I assured her.

              Sparta didn’t look convinced.

              My less than warm reception at work the next day didn’t really help make her less agitated. Most of my coworkers didn’t show open hostility, but their icy eyes would’ve crippled a younger, more inexperienced woman. I just strode past them without a care in the world. Berken had backed my decision wholeheartedly. I had nothing to fear- nothing at all.

              “I can’t believe you.” One of the harpies managed to finally work up her nerves to approach me, “How could you get them fired for no reason.”

              “No reason?” Adonis had a dark expression, “ _No reason_?”

              “I BELIEVE THE BURN WOUNDS ON SPARTA ARE _REASON_ ENOUGH FOR OUR ACTIONS.” Cesar snarled in warning, “IF YOU WERE CAPABLE OF CREATING YOUR OWN OPINIONS, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THIS. I GUESS ASKING A BLIND DOG TO THINK FOR ITSELF IS RATHER FOOLISH THOUGH.”

              “What did you just say to me?” The harpy hissed.

              “i’m pretty fucking sure he just found a fancy way of calling you a bitch- and i agree. screw off. you’re blocking my light.” Julius threw a paperclip at her.

              “There is no need for such hostilities. They were far from productive workers, and their actions were unforgivable. Techincally speaking, they should be charged with abuse and could serve anywhere from 2 to 8 years in prison for their crime.” Adonis scowled up at her, his patience obviously begin to thin.

              “Just leave us alone.” Babylon sighed, “We’ve got work to do and no time to waste on you.”

              The woman looked ready to kill all of us, but Berken’s voice calling out to her made her pause in horror.

              “You aren’t harassing Newmore for pointing out the fact I had criminals in my workplace are you?” Berken cocked his head, “We can’t have people like that damaging our reputation after all.”

              “Y-Yes sir.” The woman whispered quietly, ducking her head down, “I’m sorry sir.”

              The woman scampered off with her metaphorical tail tucked between her legs. Berken scowled at her back as she fled, and I noticed the bags under his eyes had increased. _The divorce must’ve gotten messier._

              “I’m sorry you had to deal with that this early in the morning Newmore.” Berken sighed, handing me a manila file, “I wanted you to tackle this for me. We need fresh eyes on it.”

              _It’ll also be a good test of my skill as well I presume?_

              “Of course Mr. Berken. I’ll have it done as fast as I possibly can.” I accepted the challenge easily, “I’ll let you know when it’s complete sir.”

              “Thank you Newmore. Let me know if any of the others give you trouble today.” Berken ordered me.

              “Yes sir.” I lied through my teeth. I could handle a couple of idiots trying to get under my skin because their BFFs got the boot.

              Berken nodded and left me alone.

              The work place was must more tense than it usually was. People glowered at me and muttered rude things about me under their breath, but no one attempted a direct confrontation. They couldn’t because of how often Berken was swinging by to check on my progress with the assignment he had given me. Attempting something like that would’ve been the stupidest decision they could’ve ever made. I was surprised more people didn’t try though. Most of my coworkers were the definition of stupid.

              Sparta didn’t enjoy being the center of attention, and eventually retreated into one of my drawers. She was very skittish for a jaws. Adonis occasionally poked his head down to check on her only to have her mutter something angrily and throw a piece of paper at him. My other bitties- who were used to my workplace environment at that point- just went about their day. Cesar did spend more time accepting help from Adonis though. Babylon wasn’t too happy about that and eventually slid himself in as Cesar’s right hand man. Adonis finally pieced together what was going on if the sly, quick smirk that went across his face was anything to gauge him by. Copper and Cesar were still completely dense about it.

              “Here. Let me help you.” Adonis said once he noticed Copper trying to sit up.

              “i can do it on my own.” Copper grumbled, “jeez, you’re worse than my kid.”

              “You need to quit putting so much of a strain on your back though.” Adonis protested, “You’re never going to recover at this-“

              “i’m never going to recover at all.” Copper corrected, “i even spoke with that snuggle kid, but there’s nothing to be done about my back period. The only thing we can really do is keep it from getting worse.”

              “Which is why you should let others help you more often.” Adonis clucked his tongue in annoyance, making a slight hissing noise as well.

              “Dad, listen to him.” Babylon scowled over his shoulder at his father, “You really need to quit aggravating your condition even more.”

              “ **unless you want to have to be carried around everywhere that is.** ” Saphenous shrugged.

              “of course i don’t want to be carried around.” Copper growled, “what jackass would want to be that much of a burden on other people?”

              “It’s not burdensome to make sure that you don’t further agitate your condition and paralyze yourself.” Adonis said politely.

              “Besides, he just wants to take care of you.” _Kind of like how he also wants to make sure Babylon is safe…_ Needless to say my research in to fireroyals had been very productive, “Just let him do it.” I received a nasty glare for that from my cranky Copper.

              “i don’t need to be taken care of!” Copper protested. Then Julius appeared from behind him and slapped a piece of tape of his mouth, “mm!”

              “finally, some fucking peace and quiet.” Julius huffed, actually managing to successfully dodge Copper’s resulting attack, “quit complaining already.”

              “Julius.” Adonis sighed.

              “whaaat?” Julius had a “What did _I_ do?” expression on his face.

              “I SWEAR…” Cesar shook his head.

              “Julius!” Babylon snapped.

              There was brief chaos on my desk that resulted in my stapler getting broken. _How lovely. I now get to spend anywhere from $5-$15 dollars replacing that._ My angry expression was enough to make them pause and quiet down once more. Adonis actually began to try and see if he could fix the damage done to my stapler.

              “You guys.” I sighed, rubbing my temples.

              “SORRY MOTHER.” Cesar actually apologized. None of the other little shits did. Saphenous did crawl up onto my shoulder to bury his face into my neck though. Copper had been settled back down through the combined efforts of Adonis and Babylon, and Julius actually opted to seek refuge in the drawer with Sparta, who _didn’t_ enjoy sharing.

              “Your phone has a new message Miss Nadia.” Adonis drew my attention to my phone.

              “Thank you Adonis.” I picked it up and peered into the drawer where Sparta and Julius were, “Are you two alright?” My response was a growl and red tinged spear at the face, “Lovely.” I shut the drawer partially and check my messages.

              **Unknown Number:** Nadia?

              **Nadia:** This is she. Who is this?

              **Unknown Number:** Grillby.

              I smiled at my phone despite myself. My bitties raised their brows, but didn’t ask.

              **Nadia:** Hello Grillby. Did you need something?

              **Grillby:** Not necessarily. I just wanted to let you know that I have attained my driver’s permit. You mentioned wanting to help me learn how to drive. Does that offer still stand?

              **Nadia:** Of course. When do you have free time?

              We began to discuss optional times for him to learn how to drive. I also had to discourage him from trying to repay me for my “services”. I absolutely refused to accept money from someone who honestly needed every penny he could get.

              **Grillby:** I’ll see you tomorrow evening then.

              **Nadia:** I’ll try not to be late. Work has been a bit hectic lately.

              **Grillby:** Please don’t hurt yourself for my sake.

              **Nadia:** I’m teaching you how to drive- not offering my kidney up.

              **Grillby:** Humans have kidneys?

              My coworkers stared at me in horror when I actually began to laugh.

              “What?” Babylon looked up at me while I struggled to right myself. I just held up my phone. He face palmed, “How has he survived this long?”

              “No telling.” I continued to chuckle as I began to explain all of the organs that humans had just like some monsters did.


	16. Driving Lessons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> Grillby needs to stop being so cute :x It warms my heart too much to write him. It makes me want to write more sad things to balance out the sweetness.

              “Girl Talk” was utterly fascinating in all honesty. The empty conversations could actually hold nuggets of genuine advice and ideas, and it helped pass the time as I slogged through the ridiculous task of fixing the mistakes some of my coworkers made. It pained me that I had essentially become our floor’s content janitor. Everyone had begun to slack off, leaving me to fix the messes that would’ve gotten us all in trouble. I honestly believed that my coworkers were actively conspiring against me at that point since they knew that I was perfectionist.

              “Are you kidding me?” Daniella gawked at my computer, “This is so ridiculous Nadi!”

              “I agree, but there is little that can be done about it.” I sighed, typing away while Cesar and Adonis sorted through my e-mails, “Someone has to fix it, and right now, I’m the only one willing to do so.”

              “Have you told Berken about this?” Daniella pouted.

              “Of course not. There’s no need to bother him with such trivial issues.” I snorted, “He’s a CEO with more important things to do instead of micromanaging every single floor.”

              “That didn’t stop him from making sure you were okay when you came back after the girls got fired.” Daniella pointed out, “You don’t think…maybe he has a crush on you?”

              I actually laughed at that.

              “Berken and I have known each other a couple of years Daniella, and I assure you that our relationship has always been- and will always be professional. He’s been a bit more sympathetic towards me because his divorce reminds him of my own. That’s it. Besides, his sympathy doesn’t mean very much. I work three times as hard as some of the people here.” I chuckled, “It’s worth it though.”

              “Really?” Daniella cocked her head, “You get paid more yeah, but not by much.”

              “Pft, where the hell did you hear that from? I’m the highest paid person on this entire floor because of how many hours I clock in. It’s definitively worth it.” I ran a hand through my hair and checked my watch, “I’ll get a little bit of a dock today because I’m leaving earlier than usual,  but I’m going to go help a friend of mine.”

              “Help a friend?” Daniella blinked at me.

              “My friend Grillby. He doesn’t know how to drive, so I’m going to teach him. That way he can hopefully find some better paying work.” I explained, “He’s already working so hard to pay for himself and his younger cousin who’s in college. Honestly…” I sighed, “I’d give him a check to cover all of her college expenses if he’d let me, but he’d outright refuse to accept it.”

              “Ah, he’s that kind of guy? Doesn’t want to take help from a woman?” Daniella asked.

              “Obviously not since I’m the one teaching him how to drive dear.” I forced myself to be patient, “He doesn’t want financial help from anyone, and who can blame him really? I know I’d puff up and resist something if I thought it was charity.”

              “But don’t you need to know when to accept a helping hand?” Daniella argued.

              “Mm…that holds some value I suppose. Some people just don’t accept it as easily than others.” Charity often went hand in hand with pity. The very idea of accepting charity made my skin crawl and my teeth grind together- mostly because I would be haunted by the idea that there were other people who needed it more than I did, “Anyways, I had better get on my way. I don’t want to be late.”

              “I WAS JUST ABOUT TO REMIND YOU.” Cesar said while Babylon went to knock on the drawer. Sparta and Julius poked their heads out to be told we were leaving. My bitties began to help me gather all of my things together.

              “So…this friend is a he?” Daniella prodded despite the fact I would be leaving in mere minutes.

              “Yes?” I didn’t see why that mattered.

              “So…is he _just_ a friend or a “friend”?” Daniella created air quotations with her fingers.

              “I’m afraid I don’t quite understand your implications…” I raised a set of confused brows.

              “No she isn’t romantically or sexually involved with him.” Babylon sighed.

              _…Huh…oh…OH. She thought that I was interested in **that** kind of relationship with Grillby. _

              “Grillby and I have only really known each other off and on. I suppose we could be called friends, but only by a very thin margin. We’re definitely not seeking that kind of relationship with each other though.” I assured her, “I don’t even really have time for that kind of relationship.”

              “Oh. I see.” Daniella pouted, “I really hoped you maybe had a boyfriend…We could’ve gone on a double date.”

              “Well, I’ll let you know when I have one.” I promised her, gathering up my bitties and my stuff, “You’ll be the first to know.”

              “Yay!” Daniella giggled, happily squeezing me into a hug, “Have fun!”

              My bitties and I were finally released from Daniella’s cheery hug and pestering. The girl meant well, but she could be too much for us sometimes. Even my bitties found themselves worn down by her nearly eternal optimism.

              “She’s way too much.” Sparta sat on my shoulder beside Julius. It amused me to no end that the two seemed to have formed their only pact of some kind. They couldn’t be called friends, but they definitely weren’t openly hostile to each other. Some of my more vicious coworkers like to say that they were having sex in my drawer, but I assured them that we all would’ve heard it if they did- or found some kind of fluid.

              “she has good intentions though.” Copper came to her defense, “it’s not her fault that she’s trying to deal with a group of introverts.”

              “ **eccentric, mean ones at that.** ” Saphenous belched on top of my head. There had been rat problems in the stairwell. There weren’t any after lunch.

              “Cut her some slack.” I agreed with Copper and Saphenous, “She’s not like the others at least.”

              My bitties made soft noises of agreement.

              “Miss Nadia?” Adonis switched his sitting position to where his left leg was crossed over his right, accidentally mirroring Cesar’s own position in the process.

              “Yes Adonis?” I asked.

              “What is your opinion on Grillby’s driving at this stage?” Adonis asked.

              I thought back to the first few driving lessons I had to go through with him. I never realized how nerve-wracking it could be to teach someone how to drive. Thankfully, I managed to keep myself calm during the whole thing, so Grillby didn’t grow even more anxious. My bitties- on the other hand- spent the entire ride clinging to me for dear life and mumbling prayers to the stars.

              “He’s not terrible, just jumpy. Once he settles down into it some more, he’ll be driving like a natural.” I wasn’t lying. Grillby knew traffic laws better than most humans did, and knew what to do in certain situations. He just lacked some confidence in his skills. It didn’t help that he was trying to learn in a city though, so I decided we would head out of the city for him to try and gain more confidence without having to worry about the Greenridge rush.

              “He’s probably going to try and pay you for the gas your using again.” Babylon pointed out.

              “Probably.” I kept on insisting that he didn’t need to pay me back, but Grillby didn’t like that we were practicing in my personal car. He kept fretting about gas my car needed and damage he could do to it, “He’s driving me a bit crazy in all honesty.”

              “he’s going to find a way to try and repay you.” Copper yawned. He had done some exercises to help his back, and- despite their simplicity- the exercises had left him exhausted.

              “Are you certain you don’t want to sit down here between Cesar and I?” Adonis looked up at the brassberry with concern in his gaze.

              “i’m fine.” Copper insisted, “i can nap in the car.”

              “WITH GRILLBY’S DRIVING?” Cesar let out a huff of amusement, “I’D SAY IN YOUR WILDEST DREAMS, BUT WITH HIS DRIVING, YOU’LL NEVER GET THERE.”

              “No need to be so critical of his driving so soon.” I chided Cesar, “He’s only been trying for the past two weeks.”

              “YES, TWO WEEKS OF LITTLE PROGRESS.” Cesar rolled his eye.

              “It took me a month to learn how to drive.” I defended the young monster automatically without realizing that I kind of invalidated my own argument, “No one say a _word_.” They didn’t say a word, but they did laugh at my expense.

              Eventually, I grabbed my car and worked my way through the city to find Grillby. Since it was a Friday, he wouldn’t be working until around 9 when the strip club opened, so it was the best time to try and teach him how to drive. Grillby was confused at first when I motioned for him to get into the passenger seat.

              “Is something wrong?” He asked.

              “No. We’re just going to drive out of the city and let you get some practice on some country roads.” I explained, “It’s going to be rush hour right now, and I don’t want to stress you out.”

              “I live _in_ the city though.” Grillby pointed out.

              “But you don’t have enough confidence with your driving in general to learn how to drive in the city.” I shot back, “Once you’re more capable of passing safely and not freaking out any time someone gets too close to you on the road, we’ll tackle city driving. I don’t want to keep decreasing your self-esteem though. Deal with it.”

              That wasn’t the kind of argument he could win.

              “It’ll be fine Grillby.” Babylon soothed the somewhat annoyed fire monster, “Don’t worry about it too much.”

              “BABY STEPS.” Cesar chimed in from his spot on the center console, “THERE’S NO NEED TO RUSH.”

              “I agree. Just take your time.” Adonis made sure that Copper had settled down in the back seat before sitting beside Cesar on the center console. He didn’t get too close though, realizing that would just bother the young bitty hybrid with a crush on a complete dingus.

              “ **…** ” Saphenous was surprisingly quiet. Then I felt the slight sting of his teeth on the side of my neck. He wasn’t really biting down- mouthing more than anything really. _He must be tired from all of the day’s hunting._

              “oi, the geezer’s conked out.” Julius, who sat in the cup holder beside the one Sparta sat in on the back of the center console, alerted us.

              “He really needs to take more breaks.” Adonis ran a hand through is mane, which usually read as annoyance.

              “Have you tried expressing your concerns to him?” Grillby asked.

              “Constantly. We all do.” Babylon sighed.

              “I actually meant that for Adonis.” Grillby quickly added, “Does he know where you’re concerns are coming from?”

              “No.” Adonis kept his tone measured. Babylon’s head whipped around to look at the fireroyal. He narrowed his eyes at him until they widened with shock. The two shared a knowing look before Babylon returned his attention to reading Grillby’s words.

              “You should tell him.” The fire monster advised, “It might help.”

              “…IT MIGHT…” Cesar chewed on the matter quietly, “HE’S TOO STUBBORN TO LISTEN OTHERWISE.”

              “if he wants to run off and get himself paralyzed with his stupidity, i don’t see why we should bother trying to tell him otherwise.” Julius grumbled, “he’s the idiot not taking care of himself.”

              “It’s our duty as his family members to help him the best we possibly can.” I scolded the edgy, “He’s still adjusting to a domestic lifestyle after all.”

              “I still find it hard to believe he was in a fighting ring.” Sparta huffed, “He doesn’t really seem to be the type.”

              “That’s because you’ve thankfully missed out on some of his mental meltdowns.” Babylon looked ready to tug on the jaws’s hair angrily, but he restrained himself from doing so.

              “Meltdowns?” Adonis asked carefully. He too hadn’t witnessed Copper truly losing it.

              “LET’S JUST SAY IF HE STARTS STARING AT HIS HANDS- WORRY. WORRY A LOT.” Cesar looked at his own chipped palms, “HE’LL LEAVES RENTS AS THICK AS A DIME IF YOU LET HIM.”

              “He falls into a very depressed state.” I added, “It takes some work to get him out of it.”

              “That’s sad.” Grillby frowned and looked back at the sleeping brassberry, “Really sad.”

              “He doesn’t want anyone’s pity though, so I’d keep that to yourself.” I reached over and patted Grillby’s shoulder.

              Eventually, our conversation turned towards lighter topics. Grillby’s cousin Fuku seemed to be doing well in college. The young girl even had a boyfriend she so proudly flaunted whenever the human girls wanted to give her shit. She was studying medicine because she wanted to be an anesthesiologist, and Grillby claims that she was taking to the lessons like a fish does water. Grillby himself had downgraded to a smaller apartment to avoid having to get a fourth job. He was determined to pay back Fuku’s loans for her to keep her from being sucked into student loan debt. Money issues aside, Grillby himself was doing quite well. He didn’t exactly have friends, but his coworkers were fond of him and very polite. He was known to do good work and had finally reached out to the BBB to lodge complaints against the people who had been mistreating him so. If things go well, he might be able to drop one of his jobs and take the extra work load off of his shoulders.

              His resilience never ceased to amaze me. Even some of the most determined humans would crumble under his kind of workload, but he just kept moving forward with a relaxed smile despite the worry tainting his eyes every now and then. The bitties seemed to like him at least. They more than likely liked the fact that he could get me to open up about things that pained me when they couldn’t. Our relationship was one of equal parts giving and taking and so unlike my many other relationships.

              Grillby did well driving on the backroads. There weren't as many people hindering his learning, and he even got in some good passing practice. He still minded the speed limit like it was the word of god and didn’t go a tic beneath or above it willingly. The poor monster was still a bit jerky handling the wheel though- much to my bitties discomfort. Grillby kept crackling apologizes in his flaming language despite our assurances that it was fine, he would get better, and so on.

              It was interesting to hear him speak. I had actually spoken with Sans about why he couldn’t speak…well…”human” like the other monsters. Sans sadly had to explain to me that he had been turned off from the language after his mother and two aunts were killed by the sixth human in front of him with only a few metal bars protecting him from the human’s ire. Thus, he had never learned it and preferred to speak in Infernus. He could speak Case though, so listening to him talk with Papyrus and Sans was also interesting. The language sounded more like a series of sounds, but after spending time with him, I had picked up a couple of words and phrases.

              My favorite was the way he said my name. It started off as a low his that broiled over into a “whoosh” like someone had poured cold water into a boiling pot. He’d been amused when I first caught on to it and taken to calling me by my first name ever since then. The bitties hadn’t noticed it like he had though, so it kind of felt like a little secret between just the two of us.

              My phone buzzed against my lap. Grillby was driving along on a single stretch of road, so I didn’t mind checking my phone.

              **Grandmother Arietta:** Nadia.

              **Nadia:** Yes Grandmother?

              I really didn’t want her to taint this nice experience, but I couldn’t ignore her. That would be the fastest way to increase the animosity in our relationship.

              **Grandmother Arietta:** When is the next time you’re free for a weekend?

              **Nadia:** I do not have free time. I could schedule something in though. Do you need to speak with me about something?

              **Grandmother Arietta:** I do. It’s serious business that must be dealt with.

              _She probably wants to tell me that she’s going to completely remove me from her will or something equally insulting in all honesty._

              **Grandmother Arietta:** I’ll be leaving with Gaster to go on a road trip, so I would like to get this done as quickly as possible.

              **Nadia:** Would not next Saturday, but the next be alright?

              I was mostly going to be dealing with preparing for the gala at that point. The event had been delicately placed into July to take into account that some of the attendees had children in school that needed to attend the event as well. I had no such issues at least. _~~Because you’re a coward who abandoned your son with your sister.~~_

              My mind went to how happy Greyson had looked under Josephine’s care. He was a quiet child, but the slight smile on his face was practically permanent. He thrived under their care. It was almost painful to remember how poorly I would’ve been as a mother. I never had a mother myself- just a dictator that ruled my life with an iron fist and scowl.

              **Grandmother Arietta:** That’ll be fine. Show up sometime around lunch.

              **Nadia:** Very well then.

              “MOTHER?” Cesar called out to me, “YOU’RE GLARING AT YOUR LAP.”

              “I just got a text message I’m not too happy about.” I answered honestly, knowing that they would catch any deception on my part, “Grandmother has summoned me.”

              “OH. THAT BITCH.” Cesar made an annoyed face, “WE’RE ACTUALLY GOING?”           

              “I don’t really have much of a choice.” I sighed, leaning my forehead against the car window, “Hm…Grillby?”

              He made the sharp popping noise that roughly translated as “Yes?”

              “The driver’s test in Grayridge is much easier than the one in Greenridge. Would you want to come with me not next Saturday but the next to go take the test?” I asked. Grillby tensed, “I think you’ll be ready by then sweetheart. Besides, it’d kill two birds with one stone.” He made that lovely noise that was my name- only this was said more hesitantly, “You’ll be fine Grillby. Even if you mess up the first time, there’s always a second chance.”

              Reluctantly, he nodded.

              Internally, I rejoiced. It would be nice to have a distraction from Grandmother while I was away.

              “Back to Grayridge so soon?” Adonis looked up at me.

              “Sadly.” I grumbled before smiling at Grillby, “But my company will make this trip a little more tolerable at least.”

              Grillby was a medium shade of red the entire trip back to Greenridge.


	17. Out of the Blue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> Btw, I'm sorry if I'm spamming people's inboxes with all the rapid fire updates.  
> Also, I intentionally created Berken to be the opposite of the cliche boss in this kind of story. Usually, the MC's boss is an antagonist that just wants to bed the MC, but I hate that stereotype so, SO much.

              My workload doubled as the gala quickly approached. I needed to learn the faces, businesses, hobbies, likes, and dislikes of all the power players that would be attending _and_ keep myself up to date on current events to make sure that no one could catch me off guard. The promotion being dangled in front of me was the kind that only a fool would let slide by them without even trying.

              “Hey. You.” Sparta poked me with the blunt end of one of her spears, “Hey.”

              “Yes Sparta?” I didn’t even get offended that she simply called me ‘You’. It was better than Julius’s tendency to call me anything under the sun.

              “You’re squinting.” She noted.

              “Hm?”  I blinked my eyes and realized that I didn’t have my contacts in or my glasses on. _No wonder I’m getting a headache. I thought it was just all of the reading._ With a weary sigh, I tugged open the drawer that Julius and Sparta had essentially turned into their little apartment and grabbed my glasses case right from under a sleeping Julius. The baseball of a bitty snorted and growled unhappily when he was unceremoniously dumped onto the ground, “Thank you for pointing that out Sparta. It would’ve been terrible on me if someone hadn’t alerted me.”

              “…You look weird when you squint.” Sparta hummed, “Like an old, haggard biddy that wants to crawl into bed with a certain fire monster.”

              I don’t think I’ve ever shut that drawer that quickly before. Sparta actually just laughed at me.

              “Why do all of my bitties have their heads in the gutter?” I grumbled, flushing bright red.

              “Normally people don’t look at their cellphones and smile every two hours.” Babylon wryly retorted.

              “That was a rhetorical question.” I poked the back of his skull leaving a nice well of ink on the back of his skull, “Brat.” Babylon just stuck his tongue out at me.

              “BABYLON.” Cesar called for the hybrid’s attention, “COULD YOU HAND ME THE WHITEOUT?”

              “Mhm.” Babylon scampered across my desk to retrieve it, “Here Cesar.”

              “THANK YOU. SOME IDIOT PUT IN THE WRONG NUMBERS ON THIS REPORT…” Cesar grumbled, beginning to fix the error.

              “ **they just keep getting sloppier and sloppier.** ” Saphenous tsked, “ **i’m surprised most of them have kept their jobs at this rate.** ”

              “If you fired every idiot in any workplace, you’d only be stuck with about 5-10% of your staff and still end up hiring more idiots in the long run.” I said simply, “One must learn how to control the idiots.”

              “And you wonder why most of your coworkers aren’t particularly fond of you.” Adonis said simply, raising his brow at me.

              “I’m not particularly fond of them either, so I don’t think there’s any love lost.” I waved my hand as though that would be enough to remove the accusation in his tone, “They really should try to be more productive however.”

              “I supposed that’s true.” Adonis hummed, looking over his shoulder to double check and make sure that Copper was resting. The brassberry was out cold. It had taken some convincing, but we eventually managed to convince him to take a higher dose of monster candy to combat the pain. The negative effects of monster candy didn’t really bother him at this point. They meant nothing in comparison to the agony he typically found himself in, “He’s resting better.”

              “Finally.” Babylon agreed, “I’m just glad you managed to convince him to take a higher dose.”

              “HOW DID YOU MANAGE THAT BY THE WAY? WE’D BEEN TRYING FOR WEEKS TO GET HIM TO DO THE SAME.” Cesar stretched his stiff joints out some and looked over his shoulder at Adonis.

              “It wasn’t easy.” Adonis’s tail flicked a little bit with amusement, “He’s quite stubborn when he wants to be, but I decided to take Grillby’s advice. It’s a bit more manageable now.”

              “And suddenly those noises make sense. Dammit Adonis.” Babylon covered his ears and blushed bright pink, “I do not need that mental image this early in the morning.”

              “WHAT?” Cesar cocked his head. Adonis merely patted Babylon’s back, “I FEEL LIKE I’M MISSING SOMETHING.”

              “Think nothing of it.” Adonis returned his focus onto the papers he was organizing, “It’s nothing to concern yourself with.”

              “How can you misinterpret that Cesar?” Babylon gawked.

              “He’s not exactly the brightest bulb in the shed sometimes darling.” I tapped the side of my head. Babylon groaned while Cesar just grew more annoyed.

              “ **they’re loud.** ” Saphenous sighed nuzzling his face into the area where my jaw connected to my ear, “ **you seem to be happy though.** ”

              “It’s nice to see them behaving like normal.” I whispered under my breath while Cesar and Babylon continued to bicker over the thing Cesar didn’t understand. _I don’t know why Babylon hasn’t just told Cesar yet. He’s too dense to notice anything otherwise._

              “ **…whatever you say nadia.** ” Saphenous shrugged.

              “HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING IF YOU WON’T EXPLAIN IT TO ME?” Cesar’s patience finally snapped.

              “It’s not the kind of thing you just explain!” Babylon roared back, “I’m not at fault because you’re too thickheaded to notice these kinds of things.”

              “WHAT KINDS OF THINGS? I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT AT ALL!”

              “Which makes my point exactly.” Babylon snapped back.

              “Enough.” Adonis snapped in and separated the two worked up bitties, “You’re going to wake Copper up at this rate. Babylon, yelling at him won’t help anything. Cesar, I’ll explain it to you in a more private setting later. For now, we have work to complete- unless you’ve somehow _forgotten_ that.”

              The two bitties still looked a bit aggravated, but they backed down from the argument.

              “I APOLOGIZE BABYLON.” Cesar sighed, apologizing first reluctantly while fixing his shades, “I SHOULDN’T HAVE LOST MY TEMPER.”

              “No. I’m sorry. I know this kind of stuff usually flies under your radar, but I got all worked up about it.” Babylon looked down at his feet and shuffled uncomfortably, “I think I’m going to just…um…go hang out with Sparta for now…”

              With that, Babylon fled the table and hopped into the drawer.

              “Huh? What the hell are you doing in here kid?” Sparta’s loud bellow actually made one of my coworkers jump as he came by, “…Hiding? Fine. Don’t break anything.”

              “oi…brat…the fuck?” Julius slurred, still half asleep.

              “Shut up Julius.” Babylon snapped at him as I closed the drawer.

              “excuse you?” Julius growled back.

              “Hey. No rough housing in the drawer! Adonis will get pissy.” As much fun as Sparta had rough housing with Julius at home, she knew not to do it at my work place. Adonis’s glare must’ve somehow penetrated the desk because she added, “Seriously…I don’t want that motherfucker to come down here huffing and puffing.”

              “She’s wiser than I gave her credit for.” Adonis sniffed.

              “You must not have given too much credit then.” I reached out and scratched the back of his neck. He shuddered and purred a little bit before shaking his hair out and straightening it once more, “She’s not too bad…with Babylon at least.” _Mostly because she’s terrified of you Adonis, but I still think that she should at least get half a point for trying._

              “NOW WOULD YOU CARE TO EXPLAIN WHAT I WAS MISSING?” Cesar sighed, agitated as always when he didn’t know something. It was going to drive him mad if he didn’t get an answer soon, “I WOULD HATE TO END UP ARGUING WITH BABYLON AGAIN.”

              “Babylon is referring to your inability to notice romantic interests.” Adonis said bluntly. A couple of my coworkers snapped their heads around to look at the bitties while Adonis continued, “I personally displayed interest in at least taking care of Copper since the beginning given his disability, but we have grown a bit closer the past week or so. That was what he was referring to.”

              “ **he was probably also stressing over the fact you still haven’t noticed his crush on you.** ” Saphenous added when Adonis seemed reluctant to.

              “WHAT? A CRUSH? ON ME? RIDICULOUS.” Cesar frowned and crossed his arms, “I HAVE SEEN NO SUCH SIGNALS FROM HIM.”

              “ **you missed the ones between adonis and copper…they were kind of obvious…** ” Saphenous dodged the pen Cesar launched at him.

              “He has a point Cesar.” Adonis held up an arm to keep Cesar from launching something else at the smirking bloodyberry that had climbed on top of my head, “I don’t really believe you could pass judgement on something you seem to struggle with….”

              “MOTHER?” Cesar turned to me with a look that I couldn’t quite read.

              “I honestly hoped you’d figure it out on your own in the end.” I shrugged, “I thought it was a bit blatant…He’s always following you around whenever he isn’t busy. He gets jealous whenever you give too much attention to another bitty. He was quite upset when Adonis first joined our little “family” and became close with you….”

              “ **i think even copper realized it by this point, and he’s just as dense as you are.** ” Saphenous yawned lazily. _He’s always got to twist the knife doesn’t he? My cute little sadist._

              “it wasn’t that hard to figure out.” Copper mumbled while struggling to sit up. He was a bit wobbly because of the monster candy, but he seemed determined to want to get up.

              “Copper.” Adonis chided, quickly hurrying over to help the drowsy brassberry sit up, “You’re supposed to be resting.”

              “how the fuck am i supposed to rest with that idiot making a fuck ton of noise?” Copper blindly gestured in Cesar’s direction with one hand, opting to use the other to rub his eyes sleepily, “what the hell is going on? i heard something about my kid’s crush on the dumbass.”

              “We’re trying to explain to him that Babylon has a crush in the first place.” A small smile was on my face despite the gravity of the situation. Cesar still looked stuck in the “shock an denial” phase about this whole scenario, “Romance isn’t exactly his strong suit after all.”

              “my kid has never been as interested in another bitty as he is with you. if you paid attention more often, you would’ve noticed this sooner dumbass.” Copper snorted. He leaned against Adonis and yawned unhappily, “why the hell did I wake up to _our_ relationship being discussed?”

              “It was…a catalyst of sorts…” Adonis blushed bright gold, tail flicking anxiously, “Sorry.”

              “mmm.” Copper grunted before drifting back off into sleep.

              “And he’s out again. We might’ve given him too much.” I worried my lip with my tooth anxiously.

              “I triple checked to make sure the dosage was safe. He just hasn’t gotten much sleep lately- night terrors.” Adonis gently laid him back down on simple little “nest” that the bitties had put together for the maimed bitty, “I’m glad that he’s finally getting some good rest.”

              “ **count your blessings when you can find them.** ” Saphenous crawled on top of my head and stretched out, “ **hey…loverboy…you put your skull back on straight again**?”

              “BABYLON HAS A CRUSH ON ME...” Cesar muttered that under his breath over and over again like repetition would help him make sense of his current situation.

              “I’m sure Babylon wouldn’t mind waiting for you to give him a proper response.” I pulled Cesar close and kissed the top of his head, “Don’t let this ruin what you have with him right now though.”

              “I WON’T.” Cesar assured me, “I’M MERELY…CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY ALL OF THIS.”

              “ **we can tell**.” Saphenous mumbled into my hair.

              “No teasing him Saphenous.” I chided the dozing bloodyberry who merely tugged on some of my hair with his teeth in response.

              “Babylon will probably notice any change in attitude however. Do not lead him on.” Adonis took on the commanding tone that Julius and Sparta edged away from anytime they heard it. Cesar nodded- still in shock.

              The rest of the work day went through the usual slog.

              I bounced from working and researching for the gala. My brain was getting tired of having to read all of the words presented to me, but my will to continue forced my eyes to keep moving across the page. There weren’t many options present before me. This would more than likely be my only chance to make something of myself on my own- without my family’s influence. If I attained this position, it would become mine because of my own merits and struggles.

              _I have to do this._

_I **have** to. _

Towards the end of the day, I looked down the list of gala attendees I had to slyly ask Berken for. A certain name on the list caught my attention. For a minute, I didn’t believe my eyes. It couldn’t be. No…

              _Daniella?_

              Sure enough, the Daniella on the list was the same Daniella that had been cozying up to me for the past month or so, the same Daniella that seemed keen on gaining my trust and dragging me out to compromising places.

              _That little bitch…_

              My teeth grinded angrily. Apparently, little “sweet” Daniella was actually a well-practiced businesswoman despite her youth. She was fired shortly after her sister was involved in a car accident that left her unable to walk. She bounced around from company to company trying to climb their social ladder and leaving if she couldn’t climb it fast enough.

              _Wait Nadia._

I forced myself to take deep breaths. The file also mention that she seemed to have turned over a new leaf in the past few years after marrying a widower and becoming his children’s stepmother. She had quit being so cutthroat in favor of taking care of her new family.

              _You shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Just like you, she has every reason to want that promotion too. You just heard about the gala a couple of weeks ago. She couldn’t have had further notice. Your relationship has to be genuine._

              It sickened me how well my parent’s training had sunk into me. With only a couple paragraphs of facts and gossip presented to me, I had almost been ready to go on the warpath. I would’ve struck Daniella down for her “betrayal” when there was a low chance there was even one to begin with.

              _Shame on you Nadia Newmore._

_SHAME._

              “Miss Nadia?” Adonis cocked his head up at me, “Are you alright?”

              “I’m fine. Just realized a couple of things that worried me for a brief second. Don’t fret about it.” I patted his back, “I’m fine now.”

              Thankfully, I didn’t see Daniella the rest of the day. I was still on edge and had no idea if I would’ve been able to contain myself if we had crossed paths. My bitties all noticed something was off about me when we began to pack up, but they kept their observations mostly to themselves, barring a few stray comments on how I was scowling more often than I usually did. I really didn’t want to talk about my discovery with anyone. The idea made me feel even guiltier about my assumptions. _I make a poor friend don’t I?_

              I was in the lobby when a familiar voice that I _never, EVER_ wanted to hear again called out to me.

              “Nadia.”

              In all of his damnable glory, my abusive ex-husband sauntered over to me. I immediately noticed the “fine clothing” he wore was built out of knock off brands that would only pass as real to people who hadn’t seen the actual clothing up close and personal.

              “Edgar.” My voice was surprisingly hollow. Fear raced up my spine as I realized the kind of scene he could cause, the kind of pain he could do to me before anyone could stop him. Copper straightened and press his hand against my racing pulse. Sparta did the same thing. Immediately, all of my bitties hissed in his direction looked ready to fight if they had to, “What are you doing here?”

              “Is it wrong for me to visit my ex-wife?” He tried his best to charm that sentence, but there was no way to make that sound any better.

              “When you abused her, it is.” I replied, taking a step back. The only people in the lobby were the young secretaries more interested in their nails and magazines than the scene happening a couple of feet away from them.

              “I never abused you.” Edgar shook his head, “Honestly, what kind of stuff has Josephine been putting into your head? I know I was a bit moody when our marriage ended, but that was just stress. You’ve got to know the feeling.”

              “I have nothing to offer you Edgar. Unless you’ve forgotten, I’m not longer a CEO.” My voice- thankfully- didn’t shake as I slowly edged closer to the front door, “I don’t know why you even bothered to come here.”

              “Listen Nadia, I want you to give me a second chance. I went to a therapist, spoke with some of my friends. I’ve got my life back on track again. We could be the Newmore-Tate couple we should’ve been a long time ago.” Edgar approached me, making my bitties grow even more agitated. The bitty magic crackling in the air made my hair stand on edge.

              “Do not come any closer. You won’t like the results if you do.” I warned. All of my bitties looked ready to lunge at him at the slightest provocation, and they weren’t growing any more patient, “Leave me alone Edgar. I mean it. You shouldn’t even be here.”

              “Quit being ridiculous.” Edgar snapped, his true colors coming out once more, “Nadia…you’re going to listen to me.”

              “She’s not _going_ to do anything.” Adonis hissed. He was sitting right on my wrist to be closer to Copper, so he could easily feel my anxious, racing pulse, “Leave us at once.”

              “YOU’LL REGRET MESSING WITH ALL OF US.” Cesar added.

              “Damn right. I’ve been looking for a fight that’s worth a damn!” Sparta had a spear in hand.

              “Newmore?”

              Like that, the simmering tension in the lobby snapped. Berken slid out of the elevator and raised a brow in Edgar’s direction.

              “Everything alright?” He asked me.

              “Yes sir. I was just leaving.” I told him, grateful that he had arrived when he did. My bitties still kept their eyes trained on Edgar.

              “I’m glad I caught you then. Here, your formal invitation.” Berken handed me a cream colored envelope, glaring at Edgar, “Please notify me when you get home….do you want to borrow my personal driver?”

              _No._

              “Yes.” I admitted in a rush of breath, “I’m a bit weary…”

              “I’ll call him right up.” Berken stepped directly between Edgar and I, “If you don’t have any business with me Tate, you’d better just leave.”

              Edgar looked ready to blow his top, but Berken was 6’4 and boxed as a hobby.

              Needless to say, my coward of an ex-husband ran for it.

              It still took me forever to calm down though.

              _Why is he back? Dammit…My life must always be difficult mustn’t it?_


	18. Two Birds, One Stone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> Yes we will go into more detail about Granny's feelings towards Nadia in Lost. Lost just contains major spoilers for Burned that we haven't gotten to yet, so I don't want to post that until later.

              “DO YOU THINK EDGAR WILL PURSUE US AGAIN?” Cesar’s foot bounced anxiously up and down from where he sat on my dresser. Since I was only leaving for one night, I opted to just pack a quick go bag instead of packing a suitcase, but I still needed to make sure that I had everything myself- or Grillby- would need while we were away in Grayridge, “HE OBVIOUSLY DOESN’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE RESTRAINING ORDER. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO MOTHER?”

              “I don’t know.” My simple answer failed to satisfy him or soothe his nerves, but I really had no answer for him. I reported Edgar’s infraction to the police. He was being pursued at the moment, but he had been smart enough to avoid leaving a trail, “He shouldn’t know about our plans. Why would he leave Grayridge otherwise? It makes no sense for him to leave the city I live in if he doesn’t know I’m leaving it for a period of time as well.”

              “WE SHOULD TAKE A DIFFERENT VEHICLE THEN. HE KNOWS WHAT YOUR CAR LOOKS LIKE.” Cesar argued, “YOUR CAR IS ALSO EASLY IDENTIFIABLE.”

              “I can’t do that to Grillby though. He’s comfortable driving in my car, and he’s already anxious as can be about the test in the first place. As long as we leave early enough. It shouldn’t be an issue.” I managed to put enough force in my words to indicate that I wasn’t going to argue anymore, but in reality, it was more like I couldn’t argue anymore.

              “Miss Nadia?” Adonis knocked on the open door of my bedroom before entering. He must’ve been the one the others decided to send in to investigate, “We are still very confused about what happened a few days ago….It is obviously not a small matter, and we find it a bit insulting that you’re only discussing it with Cesar.”

              “I’m sorry.” I sighed, “I…I never expected this to become relevant again…Cesar went through it with me in the end, so I guess it’s natural I spoke with him. Bring the others in here and I’ll explain.”

              Adonis nodded and went to retrieve the bitties. I rested a hand on my dresser. Cesar rubbed the shaking appendage. _Edgar shouldn’t hold this much of a sway over me…dammit. Pull yourself together woman. Now is not the time to break apart- not when you’ve got others counting on you! Meltdown on your own damn time._ The other bitties barreled into the room at various speeds while I pieced together enough of myself to actually discuss what I needed to without freaking out on them. Having the rest of them around helped calm me down a little bit more.

              “You finally going to talk?” Sparta groused, standing farther away from me. She was still closer than usual, but she and Julius still didn’t feel too comfortable right beside us or within our little group, “Or you going to leave us in suspense?”

              “who was that guy? where does he live? how high is his pain tolerance?” Copper had a murderous glint in his eye.

              “Nadia?” Babylon actually looked much calmer.

              “He’s my ex-husband. We separated after our relationship finally reached a breaking point- it wasn’t a happy separation. I was the one who gave him most of the backing he needed and the funds to do what he wanted. I also kept our company from crumbling to the ground. After the CEO position was given to him, our business failed spectacularly, and I got our divorce finalized. Edgar didn’t seem to give a damn back then…He must need more money.” I pushed my thumbs together with varying degrees of force in an attempt to calm myself down, “He’s not supposed to come this close to me. I have a restraining order on him...I’m sorry I didn’t tell any of you sooner, but I honestly thought that he was out of my life forever…I hoped that at least.”

              “ **…he shouldn’t be back then**.” Saphenous scaled up my leg and back to get onto my shoulder. He wasn’t affectionate- simply firm. I could feel that he was still buzzing with angry magic.

              “He shouldn’t.” I agreed.

              “hmph.” Julius crossed his arms, “shouldn’t be that hard to pummel the guy until he fucks off.”

              “Perhaps if I were a black belt I could. As it stands, I have no form of combat training because it was deemed something I didn’t need.” _Who needs to be able to defend themselves when they have enough money to buy body guards?_ My parents had firmly believed in that, but my body guards were fired after I lost my position to Edgar, “He’s proven to be violent before. I don’t know what he’s willing to do to get what he wants at this point…” _I know so little about a man I was married to for years_.

              “I don’t think he was talking about you doing it.” Adonis patted my foot, “We can handle it.”

              “yeah. don’t stress over it.” Copper added, actually smiling up at me for a change, “one human isn’t that much trouble.”

              _It’s unfair how easily you lot can calm me down…_ I let out a sound that was a mixture of an amused snort and annoyed huff. Squatting down I could actually reach just about all of my bitties, so I rubbed across the tops of their heads. _Alright….I’ll be fine._

              “Thank you.” I told them, standing up. Locking my nerves into place, I double checked my appearance in the mirror and declared, “We should go. We still have to pick up Grillby and make the drive to Grayridge.”

              I didn’t tremble behind the wheel when we went to get Grillby. I didn’t constantly check over my shoulder either. Edgar would be stupid to drive his easily noticeable and favored purple hummer when the police wanted to detain him for breaking his restraining order. He could be in just about any car, anywhere, and trying to locate him would be a one way trip to insanity. _I won’t let him rule my life anymore. He already took too many of those years from me._

              “Hello.” Grillby told me, tossing a small backpack into the back with my go-bag and sliding into the car, “You look lovely.”

              “Thank you.” I checked my appearance in the mirror to make-sure that the comment had been genuine. My face looked fine, “You ready?” I looked over at Grillby. He appeared calm, but I could _literally_ hear his anxiety crackling in him. _Poor thing always wears his heart on his sleeve. He can’t do anything else_.

              “I’m still nervous.” Grillby admitted, “You’ve been very patient with teaching me, but I worry that the instructor won’t be the same.”

              “You’ll be fine.” I reached out and grab one of his hands. My bitties were hogging the center console as always, so I had to squeeze it comfortingly on his lap, “I’m the one who taught you how to drive after all.”

              Grillby…actually…well…looked comforted. He wasn’t making as much of that burning, fuming noise that indicated anxiety anymore. He was obviously not _completely_ fine. No. He still had a bit of a shake to his hands, but that seemed to ebb away as my bitties dragged him into their petty arguments.

              While Grillby was kept busy by Julius, Sparta, Adonis, and Copper, I looked down and saw the familiar awkward air between Babylon and Cesar. The hybrid had noticed his change in attitude like I suspected he would, and he quickly had pieced together how Cesar had come to learn about his feelings. Let’s just say an angry skeleton-fire hybrid is an unruly one. It took Adonis and Copper two days to get him to finally calm down again.

              “Are you two going to speak or just continue to stand awkwardly beside each other?” I murmured.

              They were silent.           

              “You two are so frustrating sometimes.” I sighed, “At least sit down if you’re going to be awkward. Watching you is literally making me get anxious again.” They sat down once they were worried about my mental state. I rolled my eyes and let out a frustrated click of my tongue that made both of them flinch. Even Saphenous made an annoying hissing noise at their stupidity.

              From there, it was easy getting to Grayridge. Grillby began reviewing the dos’ and don’ts of the road as we approached the city- his nerves coming back once more. I walked him through everything over and over again, assuring him that he would be fine. He just had to do the speed limit, obey the rules of the road, and not wreck the car. It wouldn’t be as hard as he was making it out to be. He was still anxious when we were sitting in the DMV, so I asked one of the attendants if people were allowed to take bitties with them during the examination since they were actually always classified as some kind of special needs “companion”. A lot of people used them to help see, battle depression and anxiety, and so on. The woman told me the limit was four and that the bitties were supposed to stay in the back seat quietly.

              “You take Adonis, Cesar, Babylon, and Copper with you.” They were the calmest of the bunch and wouldn’t be as rowdy as any of my other bitties, “I’ll take Saphenous, Julius, and Sparta with me to my Grandmother’s. You’ll probably be here a couple of hours since we didn’t arrive right when the door opened.” I looked around the crowded DMV as the bitties I listed transferred over to Grillby’s shoulders and lap, “Call me if you need anything. Boys, keep Grillby safe. Fangs allowed.”

              “Yes Miss Nadia.” Adonis nodded, “We’ll look after him.”

              “how you going to get to your grandmother’s house?” Copper frowned. I heard the sound of distortion behind me. Sure enough, Dr. Gaster awkwardly exited the rip in existence, wilting away from shocked human gazes, “oh…have fun with that.”

              “I will.” I met Dr. Gaster’s gaze and held up one finger and mouthed “one minute” before looking at Grillby once more. I rested my hands on his shoulders and decided that he needed a little more assurance, “You’ll be fine Grillby. Break a leg.” I kissed his forehead and ruffled his hair. He steamed up at that and playfully glared at me while shaking his flaming locks back into place. He looked a little bit calmer at least.

              “hey, i think the doc is getting real twitchy over there.” Julius pointed over to where Dr. Gaster had begun to show signs of anxiety. _Right. He doesn’t do well in crowds._

              “I’m off then.” I doubled checked to make sure that I had everyone coming with me. Two bites and a nip were enough for me to know, so I waved at Grillby and my other bitties one last time before heading over to Dr. Gaster, “My apologizes doctor. I’m here now.”

              “Yes…fine…” Dr. Gaster opened another tear into the wall of reality, “Come. I dislike this place.”

              _You dislike the humans in it._ I corrected mentally. I wasn’t going to actually bring that up when I had to ensure my safety with this man in a place that could easily kill me. I looked back at Grillby one last time and winked before letting Dr. Gaster wrap some of his hands around my arms and guiding me into the void. A couple of his hands also grabbed my bitties for safe keeping.

              _Oh…this feels…horrible._

              There was no gravity in the void. It was like I was floating in an icy sea and could easily be swept away. My energy faded with the exception of the areas were Dr. Gaster had me in his grasp. Gravity slammed back down on me the instant he sat my feet back on the ground. I stumbled unceremoniously upon having to walk on my own again. My body shook as it reacted to the warmer air, and my blood roared through my veins in an attempt to wake up my “sleeping” body parts.

              _Gah…How does Josephine tolerate that?_

              My bitties seemed to be in better condition at least. It must’ve been easier for magical beings to cross the void than humans. For them, gravity was just a magical impulse that kept them on the ground subconsciously. It didn’t really mean anything to them, so they could easily adjust to new gravity. _Lucky bastards._

              “Have you recovered?” Dr. Gaster questioned me. He didn’t offer any form of helping hand, but his eyes did seem to be tracing my body for any signs of injury.

              “Yes.” My teeth chattered together.

              “ **your pulse is stabilizing.** ” Saphenous prodded my neck with his hand gently.

              “can’t believe you’re freaking out that much over a simple teleport.” Julius snorted, “weakling.”

              I didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, I made sure I could take steady steps and glared at my Grandmother’s house. It mocked me with how much it looked like it could belong to a normal, loving Grandmother. That was what she was to my sisters after all. I received no such care and attention.

              “Your Grandmother has a weird house.” Sparta hissed, instinctively getting closer to me because I was one of her only real allies in this new place.

              “Mm…” I said noncommittally, “I’ll be fine Dr. Gaster. I assume you have other duties to attend to.”

              He did, so he left to attend to them.

              I approached my Grandmother’s house ignoring the sense of dread building my stomach. I thought about how nervous Grillby must be at the DMV instead and focused on how amusing it probably would be to watch him be so nervous for no reason. With a proper deadline in place, Grillby had practiced more often and put much more effort into growing more confident. He still had edges of anxiety behind the wheel, but he would be fine.

              Then, Grandmother stepped out onto the front porch- completely ruining my attempts at calming my own nerves. She didn’t have the warm welcoming smile she would give Josephine or Olivia if they were at her door, but she also didn’t have the familiar slight snarl I had grown used to over the years. Her flat, cold look infuriated me. I could deal with anger. This apathy just ticked me off.

              “That’s your grandma?” Sparta raised a brow, “She doesn’t look like much.”

              “She’s one of the most powerful women in the world.” I assured my bitty, “One word from her could damage a company, two could crumble an empire. She’s just getting old.”

              “I see you’re still in the habit of talking about people five feet away from you.” Grandmother’s voice was flat.

              “I see you’re still in the habit of coming to the door and scaring away guests you don’t want to talk to.” I shot back. Saphenous glared at Grandmother from his perch on my shoulder, “You’re the one who summoned me here. The least you could do is be cordial.”

              “It’s hard to be cordial with a woman like you.” Grandmother led me inside.

              “what kind of high horse does she have crammed up her ass?” Julius groused, actually getting a bit protective. He and Sparta definitely weren’t the most clingy or affectionate as my bitties, but they had claimed me as their human by accepting the fact we shared living quarters- the fact I provided their food was merely a bonus to that arrangement, “she treated your sisters a fuck ton better.”

              “ **from the sounds of it, she always does.** ” Saphenous stroked my neck absentmindedly, “ **right old woman**?”

              “It’s not as though Nadia has ever acted like she was my granddaughter out of love.” Grandmother snorted. We sat down on opposite ends at her long dining table. There was a mug of cooling tea waiting for me, “Oh, she’d come around whenever her parents needed someone to sugarcoat a situation or tell me that they were great parents. As far as I’m concerned, I have two granddaughters and an adoptive brownnoser.”

              _Ouch._    

              “fuck off bitch.” Julius spat, “you ain’t allowed to talk to her like that.”

              “Excuse me?” Grandmother raised a steel colored brow.

              “Excuse nothing.” Sparta added, “I ain’t a human, but even I know that you’re being a royal cunt about all of this. Drop the attitude!”

              “Such fierce defenders…It’s almost disgusting to see you so happy.” Grandmother sighed, “Especially after all of the pain you’ve thrusted onto your sisters again and again….”

              I actually flinched at that. I couldn’t stop myself from reacting to the accusation, the shame that flooded me upon hearing it. I _had_ hurt my sisters time and time again. I had brought them so much misery, but I was trying to make-up for it. I really was. I was trying to change. _Why can’t you see that Grandmother? Why can’t you see my struggle like you can see theirs?_

              “You follow your parents’ orders all your life, become a royal bitch in the process, use your sisters as tools and punching bags for years, steal Josephine’s husband, and actively treated your family like it meant nothing to you. Then suddenly- out of the blue- you turn over a new leaf- dump the new husband, wriggle out of your parents thumb, mutter a few apologizes- and just expect everyone to say “It’s okay. We forgive you.” after all of the years of torment you’ve caused.”

              “I never expected that.” I argued quietly.

              “The hell you didn’t!” Grandmother slammed her fist on the table, “I was willing to try and _maybe_ think about including you in the fold after all of the stunts you’ve pulled. _THEN,_ you abandon your child for Josephine to raise and flee to Greenridge to work for one of my rivals. You’re intentionally spiting me at this point aren’t you? Wait no. “Spiting” implies you have some kind of spine. You’re just a coward and a disgrace to the Arietta name.”

              “ **you’re three more breaths from losing that tongue you like to wag.** ” Saphenous warned angrily.

              “Fuck that “Arietta name” bullshit. My human is named Nadia _Newmore_ last time I checked.” Sparta fumed, stomping the table hard enough to make it splinter some.

              “did you seriously just call her up here for this bullshit?” Julius growled, “i don’t even like the bitch, but this is too fucking far.”

              “Quit interrupting me for her sake. If she wants to defend herself, she can use her own voice.” Grandmother sneered down at me. I remained silent, “Like I expected. A coward….And I have _no idea_ why Josephine and Olivia insisted on me changing the will.” _Ah. There it is…I knew she was talking out of her ass when she told my parents that she’d divide it evenly. We all knew that she would still favor Josephine and Olivia. Greyson will still be fine since he’s technically Josephine’s now, but what am I to get Grandmother? Scraps? Nothing? My sisters are blind to your hatred to me most days. I’m not_. “I don’t believe you deserve one third of your mother’s inheritance already. I definitely don’t think you deserve the third of the granddaughter share that was supposed to be evenly divided between Livvy and Joey, but they told me that they won’t accept my inheritance if I don’t give you the fair share you deserve.”

              _…Wait…_

My grandmother had been a practical woman to divvy up her fortune between levels. Aunt Catherine, my mother, my two cousins, and my sisters and I all had separate shares of her fortune we were set to receive. Josephine was supposed to receive the largest chunk of this fortune, but…

              “Josephine and Olivia told you to do that?” I questioned quietly. Grandmother nodded.

              _Maybe they aren’t’ as blind as I thought._

              “I see. Is that the only thing you wished to speak with me about?” I finally looked up from the dining room table and met her gaze. I realized something in that moment. I didn’t care about the money. All I had wanted was a genuine relationship with my grandmother. It seemed like I was never going to get that though, so I was _done_ bleeding myself dry in an attempt to please her. I was _done_ being sorry for things I had already apologized for- endlessly.

              “It is…” Grandmother seemed wary of my newfound disconnect from the situation.

              “Very well then. Do as you please with your will Grandmother. I don’t care.” I stood up and gathered my bitties.

              “You don’t _care_?” Grandmother raised a brow.

              “I don’t. I can make my own way with or without your funds.” I nodded to myself, “I don’t need your silver spoon or lump of cash. It would make my life a lot easier of course, but I don’t _need_ it, and I **_refuse_** to grovel for it.” I glared at her defiantly, “You were half right. I _was_ a coward. I’ll admit that. I think you’ll notice I’m a hell of a lot braver now.”

              “damn straight. fuck you.” Julius flipped her off.

              “Don’t call us down here to Grayridge for stupid shit like this again.” Sparta added tossing a spear that lodge in the wall behind Grandmother, “We got more important things to deal with.”

              “Please go tell Dr. Gaster I will be waiting for him out front.” I walked out of the dining room, “Lovely chat Grandmother.”

              “ **why is she such a bitch to you**?” Saphenous growled as I exited the house.

              “She was cordial- almost loving- with me when I was in the process of disentangling myself from my parents and Edgar.” I admitted, “Then I opted to give Greyson up for adoption. I guess that was the final nail in the coffin or her last nerve in regards to me.”

              I surprisingly didn’t feel like shit.

              If anything, I felt taller, stronger.

              _I might be a disgrace to the Arietta name, but I’m not an Arietta._

_I’m a Newmore, and we’re pretty damn resilient when we have to be…_


	19. Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> and to finish off this large update: the final chapter of this mini arc. Next up is the Gala arc followed by the Wedding arc. I'll see you guys in February.  
> BTW: I will still be responding to comments/messages on tumblr (seriously, I'm always open to talk), and the Addendum is still open to requests. If I don't get anymore by the next time I update, I'll just do the two prompts I do have by themselves. I like doing them in bulk, but I also don't want them to sit there for a month ya know?

              Dr. Gaster really didn’t like crowds, so I instructed him to drop me off a little ways away from the DMV. I needed to swing by a store and pick up more vitamins and other small goods for myself anyways. The older monster seemed relieved that he didn’t have to go into a crowd of people once more, but he didn’t immediately leave my side-which I found quite odd.

              “Dr. Gaster?” I raised a brow. Was I about to get a second scolding? If so, I would not be halfway as pleasant as I had been with my grandmother. Persephone Arietta was my kin. This man was not, “Do you need something else from me?”

              “Persephone…she…” Dr. Gaster frowned.

              “spit it out already old man. we don’t got all day.” Julius sneered. Dr. Gaster narrowed his eyes at the edgy in annoyance, but he didn’t immediately speak still.

              “She sees you as a failure.” Dr. Gaster’s tone of voice made it sound like he was stating a simple, logical fact instead of the emotionally charged dagger to my heart that it was.

              “I was already aware of that. I did not need it put into words.” My lips screamed in agony when I pulled them tightly over my lips, “Thank you for assisting me with getting around Dr. Gaster.”

              “Jackass.” Sparta threw another spear that ripped through his sleeve. 

              “Not in that way.” Dr. Gaster sighed, reminding me of an adult patiently explaining something to a frustrating child, “You’re a representation of _her_ failures as a grandmother. She feels as though she should’ve been able to keep all of this from ever reaching this point to begin with, so seeing you- a product of her inability to reign in her daughter- reminds her of all of that. It’s why she’s harsher on you than your sisters.”

              “That doesn’t make it hurt any less doctor.” I kept my voice cold, detached. Nadia Newmore began to crawl up my skin, sliding into place to shield me from the rampant agony roiling in my chest, “Call me selfish if you will, but I don’t give a damn what I remind her of. There is a time and a place for guilt. There is also a proper person to put it on. Last time I checked, I’m _not_ responsible for her failings. _Good day_ Dr. Gaster.”

              The only sound that came after that was the sound of my heels awkwardly clinking against the uneven alley ground, followed by the warping sound of Dr. Gaster leaving me alone at last. Finally alone, my shoulders were allowed to sag low, my head could hang in peace. Grinding my teeth together failed to help the ache in my chest soothe any. Steadying breaths only made me angrier. Grandmother hating me for my own failings as a human being was one thing, but for her to hate me because of what it means for _her…_..

              “Vile woman.” I spat at the ground angrily.

              “ **nadia**?” Saphenous prodded me gently.

              “Hey! Watch it! You’re going to trip.” Sparta threw down some spears that partially filled a three inch deep hole in the ground that I would have stepped into otherwise.

              “Sorry.” The apology reluctantly stumbled from my lips, “I’m just…infuriated.”

              “well don’t fucking careen into a goddamn wall and squish one of us just because you’re pissy!” Julius snapped.

              “ **quiet pudge.** ” Saphenous hissed.

              “i’d rather be a pudge than a corpse humping freak.” Julius growled back.

              “ **your immaturity comes to light**.” Saphenous’s hand clenched and unclenched dangerously.

              “Enough. Please.” I begged quietly. The angered cacophony in my mind slowly became tinged with sadness that walked hand in hand with fatigue. My confidence from earlier easily drained out of me like someone had punched hundreds of holes into my spirit, “I can’t play mediator right now.”

              “Hey.” Sparta jabbed my ear with one of her spears, “Quitting isn’t an option.”

              “What on earth are you talking about?” I grumbled, stepping out onto the busy Grayridge sidewalk.

              “Humans quit life sometimes. That isn’t an option.” Sparta warned, “Someone’s got to feed me.”

              “Quit life…Do you mean suicide?” _I suppose that is an adequate way of thinking about it._ “I’ve never struggled with suicidal depression- that “pleasure” belongs solely to Josephine.”

              “Oh…still…uh..” Sparta kept poking me while she tried to think of what she wanted to say.

              “Please quit that.” I reached up and caught her spear, “I don’t need another piercing.”

              “Hey! Gimme!” Sparta tugged on the spear. I held it tightly with my fingers and briefly debated using the spear to lift her off my shoulders. In the end, I decided that would be too mean and let the spear go, “Grr…”

              “ **..ss…** ” Saphenous bared his teeth at her in warning. The cocky jaws just flipped him off. Remembering my desire for there to not be any kind of spat, Saphenous reluctantly backed down first and nuzzled his head in the same spot- the area between my jaw and ear- he always did, “ **what are we doing now**?”

              “Going to pick up a couple of quick things. The DMV is a slow place this time of day, so I doubt Grillby has been pulled out to take the test yet.” I visualized the checklist of small items I needed in my mind and quickly worked out the best route to take to give Grillby enough time to take his test- pass or fail, “We’ll hit Broadstone first…then maybe Millight.”

              “this place has weird fucking street names.” Julius grumbled.

              “A weird woman made this place.” I shrugged, “What do you expect?”

              We all ceased speaking at that point. My bitties and I- when all of us were together- never really chatted much to begin with. Our time together usually consisted of calm silence broken up by the stray serious conversation, harsh spat between warring bitties, and mundane exchanges. Most people found how quiet I was with my bitties to be rather odd however. More than a few openly stared at the quiet, tall woman in dark clothing walking down the street with a stoic expression and three moody looking bitties in tow. Then- of course- people began to recognize me.

              It wasn’t that bad during the first few stops I made to grab vitamins and feminine products. The people of Grayridge weren’t used to seeing me after I had been away for a year, so recognition came slowly. The normal, slight annoyed expressions of harried shoppers slowly began to show cracks of realization as they continued to stare at me from stop to stop. Grayridge was home to some stores that Greenridge lacked, and a couple of my favorite items- some pricey tea and bathing products- could only be found in the dark city.

              After more than a few people began to notice me, word spread like wildfire. More than a few people murmured about “how far” I had “fallen” in the past year, and most seemed shocked that I was behaving like a normal human being. The familiar murmurs of “ice queen” and “shark” floated around me in the crowd. The reception put my bitties on edge, but they calmed down some upon noticing how little it honestly phased me. 

              Then…

              “I wonder if she’s here to talk to Edgar…”

              “Isn’t Edgar back in town too?”

              “I thought he was in Britain with his new girlfriend after Josephine Newmore kicked his ass.”

              “Ah ah! I heard the woman left him practically penniless!”

              “You think he’s here to try and get Nadia back?”

              “Could be.”

              _And suddenly, Edgar’s desperation makes sense._

              My lips curled angrily.

              _Of course he’d only be here to get more money. That was why he wanted to marry into our family in the first place. Sick bastards…wait…Edgar…is…here?_

              My mind froze for half a second. Paranoia immediately crept in as my adrenaline kicked into overdrive. Edgar could literally be anywhere in Grayridge, and I- a total _fool_ \- had wandered the streets without a care in the world. No one would help me if Edgar tried to get a hold of me. They’d turn it into some new hit story or viral video.

              “We need to get back to Grillby.” I whispered to my bitties, fear making my words tremble around the edges, “Now…”

              “This about that Edgar guy?” Sparta asked. My mind raced while I tried to figure out the fastest route back to the DMV that would throw people off my trail. I nodded at Sparta’s question though, “Pft. Don’t worry about it. If he comes anywhere near us, we’ll fuck him up.”

              “damn straight.” Julius punched the palm of his hand, “i could do with some serious action right now.”

              _I could do **without** it. I really, REALLY could do without it._

              In the end, the alleys- while riskier- would be the fastest route back to the DMV. I knew the city and all of its inner workings like the back of my hand, so a mental map came to mind easily. If I ran, we could make it back to the DMV in ten minutes, but the last thing I needed was more attention. Walking would take twenty, anxiety inducing, fear filled minutes.

              “ **…mm**?” Saphenous asked rubbing my throbbing jugular soothingly.

              “We’re going back to the DMV.” I spotted our first turn.

              “uh… the fuck?” Julius looked at the alley suspiciously.

              “I know this town like the back of my hand. Just trust me.” I begged him, “Please don’t make a scene right now. We need to get out of here…” _There’s no telling what Edgar could do. If he’s really penniless, he’s got nothing left to lose. A desperate man can do just about anything._

              The walk back to the DMV had to be one of the most terrifying experiences I had ever endured. My bitties were rightfully on guard and watching every shadow for the slightest change, barest shift that could indicate my ex-husband appearing. Rationally, I knew that there was no way he could find me in the alleyways of Grayridge. There were too many options for me to take, but if he followed the gossip back to the source, he might be waiting for me at the DMV.

              I almost jumped out of my skin when my phone buzzed as I neared the DMV. It was Grillby. The text was an excited declaration that he had passed the test, and he was wondering if he needed to come pick me up from whatever store was at. With shaking hands, I hurriedly told him that I was almost at the DMV. Going against my desire to protect him from my ex-husband, I asked him to wait for me in the parking lot next to the car. He could drive back to Greenridge. The pouty face emoji he sent back actually made me smile in the tense situation, but threat still loomed around the corner.

              I spotted my recognizable car within seconds of stepping into the DMV parking lot. I also recognized my ex-husband’s dark red hair. Grillby stood toe-to-toe with Edgar looking like his saint worthy patience was wearing thin.

              “Where is my wife!?” Edgar roared in his face. Grillby- another testament to his character- merely gestured politely for my husband to step back. My other bitties were in the car looking murderous.

              “MOTHER IS NO LONGER YOUR WIFE YOU SICK, DEMENTED INDIVIDUAL.” Cesar spat up at him from the driver’s seat, “LEAVE US IN PEACE!”

              “Fuck off.” Edgar took a swing at the boss, but Grillby caught his wrist, “Let me go you freak! Hey! This monster is trying to steal my wife’s car!” A couple of people looked at Edgar confusedly.

              _Oh what do I do?_

              Grillby spotted me and nodded towards my husband, raising his brows.

              “Edgar.” I called out coldly across the parking lot. Edgar’s head whipped around to look at me. His eyes seemed off. _Is he…on something? Oh Edgar, you’ve most certainly sunken to a new low._ Using every single bit of class and poise my tutors had beaten into me from a young age, I strutted over to my car and forced confidence to mask my true emotions. Edgar seemed put off by my display, “Leave Grillby alone.”

              “You’re fucking treating this thing like it’s a person?” Edgar spat at Grillby. Luckily, the fire monster dodged the liquid and prevented injury, “It’s just something that should’ve stayed in the fucking ground.”

              “And you’re something that should’ve stay in Europe!” I roared back. The insulting words towards Grillby irritated me further. While I wouldn’t claim that Grillby and I were best friends, I did find myself protective of the somewhat naïve monster.

              “You aren’t about to talk to me like that.” Edgar moved to do something, but I would never know what that something was because he was attacked from eight different angles.

              In the end, my ex-husband found himself pinned to the ground cut up by jagged bones and spears, ripped into by blades, and more than a little scorched. Grillby kept one foot on the back of his neck and glowed with a deep orange fury that had other people in the parking lot keeping far away from us.

              “I’ll be nice this _once_ and let you leave peacefully.” My show of confidence was starting to wane under his hostile gaze, “This will be the last time I am so merciful.”

              I gestured for Grillby to get into the car and grabbed any stray bitties before sliding into the passenger seat. Grillby still stood outside the car glaring down at my ex-husband. The young monster had let Edgar up to move out of the way, but it looked like he wasn’t taking any chances. The pummeled, waste of human life leaned against the car parked next to us and glared at Grillby.

              “Guess I should’ve known she’d end up a monster rutting freak like her twin.” Edgar spat some blood out onto the ground. _Grillby must’ve slammed him pretty hard into the ground._ “Pathetic. You’re a disgrace to humanity.”

              “You already stole that title.” Babylon flipped him off, “Feel free to keep it.”

              Grillby still didn’t get into the car.

              “Grillby.” I called out to him, gently pleading. He must’ve heard the note of desperation in my voice, “Please get in the car. I just want to go home.”

              The fire monster climbed into the car and slammed the door shut. With one final glare at Edgar, Grillby pulled out of the parking lot. The car was filled with intense silence as we drove through the city. My bitties were quietly trading information between Grillby and I while I struggled to figure out how to calm the irritated monster.

              “Grillby…” I began softly. He didn’t respond, keeping his eyes glued to the road. His glasses were askew from pinning Edgar to the ground. Gently, slowly, I reached over and fixed the frames. He was hot to the touch, but he immediately cooled down his face before any damage beyond slight red marks could happen, “It’s okay. I’m sorry that Edgar got into your face like that. I should’ve told you about this.” I gingerly fixed a stray curl, “I wanted to leave as soon as possible because I became aware of his presence in Grayridge. We didn’t have the best of relationships, and I knew that any confrontation with him would become a violent one. I…really didn’t want you to end up caught in the middle like that. I’m sorry.” I apologized again.

              Grillby pulled off to the side of the road and put the car in park.

              “Grillby?” Adonis reached out towards the monster. Copper looked more than a little torn between who to comfort first- I was his human, Grillby was still a young adult like Babylon.

              “Hey…” Babylon also looked like he was struggling with who to prioritize. Julius and Sparta stayed on the right side of my lap, and Saphenous was clinging to my neck hard enough to leave small welts.

              Grillby murmured something too quickly for me to even try and decipher.

              “Grillby?”  I reached out again.

              “WE CAN’T UNDERSTAND YOU IF YOU DON’T TALK TO US.” Cesar prodded him with a bone.

              Suddenly, the fire monster reached up and unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt after undoing his bow-tie.

              “Grillby?” I raised a confused brow. He reached out and grabbed my hand. I startled when my hand began to sink into his chest. Some of my research popped up in my mind, “I’m a human. I can’t read a SOU-“ Images began to flicker in my mind as I touched against the hot core in his chest. It was almost like his SOUL wrapped around me and pulled _me_ in. The world around me went monochrome. A chill settled into my bones, and a dim, orange light flickered in my own chest.

              The images were nothing grandiose. They simply showed him and his coworkers and his cousins. The thing I noticed was the space between them. Even between him and his dear young cousin Fuku, a distance kept growing as the vibrant, green fire monster made new friends in college. Images of a younger Grillby leaning on Sans were slowly replaced by Sans drifting further and further away, chasing my twin’s silhouette. An intense loneliness filled me as I realized that Grillby saw himself as alone in the world- a single monster struggling to provide for those he cared for and simply take care of himself in the process.

              Then…an image of me came.

              Again, it wasn’t anything brilliant. Just the two of us chatting through our driving lessons or over a drink whenever I visited him at _that_ vile place. There wasn’t much space between us at all. I could feel his desire to protect the “one friend he had left” race up my arm. The dim light in my chest grew just a little bit stronger.

              Color came back to the world as Grillby tugged my hand out of his chest. My fingers buzzed with so much energy that my hand went limp. The fire monster fixed his shirt and blushed brilliantly, but the look on his face told me what it needed to: he had wanted me to know just how much of a friend I was to him.

              “what the hell just happened.” Copper shuddered a little bit.

              “Did you just…but that is…” Adonis struggled to piece things together. In the end, he buried a hand in his mane and just sighed, “I don’t think we want to know.”

              “Are you both done being pissy children?” Sparta grumbled, “We kicked the guys ass right? I don’t see why you’re both still so worked up over this.”

              “HUSH BRUTE.” Cesar chided her.

              “excuse you?” Julius growled back.

              “I DON’T HAVE A STUTTER.” Cesar rolled his eyes.

              “Enough!” Babylon stood between the two groups, “Nadia? Grillby?”

              I didn’t quite know what to say. What could be said after that?

              Finally, I looked over at the grumbling fire monster and actually smiled.

              “I feel the same way.” I told him quietly.

              Grillby looked over at me and fixed his glasses. My bitties looked between the two of us like we were mad people.

              “oookkaayyy…please…stop. this is weirding me out.” Copper made a disgusted face.

              For some reason, Grillby and I both found that to be absolutely hilarious.

              _This is nice…_

              Having someone in my corner left me feeling even better than I had originally. It felt like I had the support I genuinely needed- especially after the shit Grandmother just put me through.

              _…I’m still going to have to find a way to give him money though. He’s working too hard, and it’s bothering me._


	20. Ugly Places

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> Yes, this isn't a normal update day, but I'm writing after jumping off a hiatus. I wanna make sure my quality hasn't dipped *shrug* I'm a worrier. Anyways, I hope to have the last two chapters of the gala arc written today. We'll see *shrugs again* :P

              I attended my first gala when I was ten years old. My mother spent hours twisting and spraying my hair into a delicate coif before painting my face with enough layers of make-up to make me look forty. My father had kept an iron clad grip on my shoulder the entire night and squeezed it tightly when I needed to nod or confirm something he said. Both of them went on and on about how successful and bright I was for my age and how much my teachers and private tutors loved me. As I grew older, I went from merely nodding and confirming anything my parents said to dancing with the sons of powerful business moguls, challenging CEOs to games of chess and shogi, singing or playing an instrument in front of the other guests, giving speeches about the current economic status of our country, and impressing everyone with all of the skill my parents melted into me. I was a popular attendee- a feared one too. The other business owners quickly learned that my sharp ears connected to a _very_ sharp brain after one too many slips of the tongue ruined powerful men and women.

              …..

              Can you tell I was excited?

              My hair- sadly- had reached the awkward phase of growing back out again. It was too short to tie back, but too long to simply gel into place. I simply used it as an excuse for digging up the old ruby bobby pins Olivia had given me. The silver and red pins went well with the long, black evening gown I had dug up. They also matched the delicate bracelets, dangling earrings, and statement piece necklace I wore. With some make-up in the right place and a good pair of red stilettos, I looked more and more like the woman I used to be.

              Something was off though. Something didn’t quite match up. I _looked_ the part. Enough practice in the mirror let me pull up the same facial expressions and preprogrammed mannerisms, but a crucial piece seemed to be missing. All it took was noticing the slight curl of my lips to realize what it was. The icy glint in my eyes had been replaced by a hollow, burning void that threatened to consume whatever my gaze fell upon. The stony rigidity to my shoulder was replaced by a lioness like slouch that added to the more relaxed strut I found myself doing without meaning to.

              _I feel…somewhat naked actually._

              I tried my best to dig up the me I thought I needed to be that night. I couldn’t find her though. She wasn’t just buried back in the recess of my mind or just lurking in the dark shadows of my moral compass. She was gone. The brief flicker of emptiness in me that rose up upon the realization that I had finally changed too much to go back to the way I used to be quickly faded when pride actually ran up my back.

              _I’ve changed…I’ve honestly changed._

              “hey…uh…how long you gonna smile at the mirror like that?” Copper sneezed a little bit when he accidentally kicked my powder, causing the fine power to briefly cloud the air, “it’s a little creepy.”

              “I’m not smiling into the mirror.” I reached down and carefully finished tying the cream colored tie he wore. All of my bitties- even the desk drawer hermits- were wearing black and red suits with cream colored ties.

              I was in the rough spot of having been demoted publicly _and_ gaining a notorious reputation for being the next bitty lady in the Mt. Ebott Area. People doubted me and my bitties, so we needed to appear more sleek, professional, and united than they all thought- dressing to impress was just one way I hoped to accomplish that.

              “hmph.” Copper loosened the tie a little bit after I tied it. He despised wearing the tailored suits that Cesar absolutely adored wearing- mostly because the tight fit aggravated his spine, “when we leaving again?”

              “In about ten minutes. Are the others rea-“

              I was cut off by Julius being slammed into the ground as the edgy scrambled into my room. A very annoyed looking Babylon grabbed the naked, disoriented edgy by the ankles and proceeded to drag him out of the bedroom.

              “I don’t give a _damn_ how you feel about this.” Babylon snapped, “Nadia said we’re wearing the suits- _all_ of us. Fucking hell…Sparta wasn’t this bad!”

              Copper and I watched in fascination as Julius was manhandled out of the bedroom. Babylon looked good in darker colors, but he definitely looked more like a hitman instead of the bumbling young adult he was. _I do hope that he doesn’t end up ripping his suit while trying to get Julius into one._

              “Well…” I hummed, raising a brow at Copper, “Feel any pride?”

              “my son just slammed a cocky ass piece of shit into the ground without breaking a sweat.” Copper’s look was blank, “fuck yeah i’m proud.”

              I didn’t realize how much of a laugh I needed.

              Thankfully, Adonis stepped in and helped Babylon and Cesar wrangle the unruly edgy into a suit. Sparta watched from the coffee table with a shit eating grin while Julius cursed her for “ratting him out to the kid” whenever he could. Saphenous climbed up onto me the instant Copper and I stepped out into the living room. He looked civilized in an actual suit instead of his usual blood-soaked jeans, t-shirt, and jacket ensemble, but he didn’t seem too happy about it.

              “ **so how long do i have to look like cesar again**?” Saphenous tugged on his tie absentmindedly, “ **this get up makes me want to gag.** ”

              “About five hours at least. It’ll take us an hour to get to a three hour gala and an hour to get back. That’s assuming we aren’t held up for any various reason.” Which I honestly hoped we weren’t. Adonis was going to shift into his larger size to help me carry the bitties, but he could only hold that form for a couple of hours, “You can change back into your usual attire shortly after we return I promise.” I paused, “If you behave, we’ll swing by a pet store and buy a fat ferret to release in the apartment for you to hunt down and enjoy.”

              My bloodyberry’s mood brightened _drastically_.

              “This is ridiculous.” Sparta yawned, “Why the hell should we go something like this huh? Not like you’re really going to get the job unless you ride Berken’s dick a couple of times.”

              “I suppose that would be one way of getting it.” I shrugged. Sparta rarely had anything nice to say to me in all honesty. The only reason why she never struck out at me physically was her past experiences with human women. She still kept a sharp, biting tone with me though, “I don’t really need the promotion anyways. Berken pays well to begin with. This is mostly just to test the waters.”

              “WHICH MEANS THAT EVERYONE MUST BE ON THEIR BEST BEHAVIOR.” Cesar glowered at Sparta, “UNLESS A CERTAIN DUO WANTS ME TO PIN THEM TO THE CEILING TO ROT THAT IS.”

              “What was that?” Sparta gnashed her yellow teeth at him.

              “What he said.” Babylon cracked his hand across the back of her head, looking more and more agitated, “Now can you please just get Julius’s shoes on so we can leave in a timely manner?”

              “Excuse you?” Sparta raised a brow.

              “I don’t believe he stuttered.” Adonis’s voice demanded quiet respect from the jaws. With an annoyed sigh, Sparta furthered her betrayal of Julius by actually helping the others.

              _Honestly…I’m surprised people don’t accuse me of letting them bully each other._

              “While they continue getting Julius dressed, why don’t we discuss how you all are going to behave tonight?” My voice was laced with gentle threat and no room for arguing, “This might not get me the promotion, but it’ll still cause waves for me. Those waves can be good or bad. We want to make sure that they’re good- understand?” My bitties made noises of acknowledgement, “I doubt Berken would fire me if anything too scandalous happened tonight; however, only the foolish walk into a dark cave too quickly.”

              “WE’LL KEEP QUIET MOSTLY.” Cesar assured me.

              “That’s all I can really ask at this point.”

              Julius was sat up. He looked…

              “Adorable.” I mused, a wry smirk twisting my lips up. Julius spat at me angrily, “It’s not my fault you look like a six year old in his father’s clothing. Perhaps the suit wouldn’t be so poorly fitted if you bothered to stay still when you were being measured.”

              “fuck off.” Julius grumbled, crossing his arms.

              “No swearing tonight.” Adonis reminded him, “Just stay quiet if all you have to say is something vulgar.”

              “gonna word check me every five minutes?” Julius sneered.

              “If I must.” Adonis growled. Julius backed down and stepped back by Sparta.

              “if you’re all done grumbling.” Copper cleared his throat, “we need to hit the road.”

              We did, but there was one last thing I needed to check up on as we left.

              **Nadia:** Grillby? You mentioned wanting to speak with me?

              **Grillby:** I did? Sorry, I’ve completely forgotten what I wanted to talk about with you. I’m covering someone else’s shift tonight, so I got distracted.

              **Nadia:** It’s fine. Just text me when you remember. I might not respond immediately though. The gala is tonight.

              **Grillby:** Right. Break a bone.

              _Monsters and their bizarre slang…_

              **Nadia:** Thank you for the encouragement.

              “Hey.” Sparta kicked my heel, “You done smiling at you’re phone like you’re twelve yet?”

              “Yes Sparta.” I said, letting out a slightly weary sigh and putting my phone in the simple clutch I carried, “Let’s hit the road.”

              It was odd driving to the gala knowing that I wouldn’t be looked at as Edgar’s wife or the Newmore’s eldest daughter. For once, I would be held accountable for my actions for _my_ benefit. My actions and behavior would directly influence my fate and weren’t being controlled from the shadows by tangled up alliances and contracts and familial duties. It was just me, myself, and I. Whether that was freeing or terrifying was yet to be discovered.

              “You’re clenching the wheel.” Babylon told me. The other bitties were on the passenger seat, minding their own business, but the youngest of the bunch milled about on the center console near where Cesar sat. The boss occasionally slid the hybrid a look of confusion before returning to whatever thoughts were bugging him. From what I had heard, things between the two of them were still awkward at best, painfully stiff at worse, “Nervous?”

              “A little.” I decided to be honest, “This will be the first time I’ve gone to an event like this representing myself.”

              “YOU’LL BE FINE MOTHER.” Cesar assured me, “YOU’RE TYPICALLY ALWAYS THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM, AND YOU’VE ACTUALLY BOTHERED TO PREPARE.”

              “Trust me when I say I’m not the only one who sat down and studied the other guests.” I chuckled, “We’re in a competitive field. I bet every single person at this gala will know me, my background, and my skills from the dossier they had their people put together for them.”

              “Are they really that cautious?” Babylon’s face scrunched up.

              “They have to be. Every step counts, so you don’t want to stumble.” _That could be deadly._

              “We’ll do our best.” Babylon shared a look with Cesar, “You just focus on impressing the right people.”

              “That’s the plan.” I pinched his cheek lovingly, making the cranky young adult bitty snap at my fingers.

              The rest of the car ride consisted of Cesar, Babylon, and Adonis going over the key players at the gala. Copper- who wisely chose to nap before the gala- was sprawled out by a dozing Saphenous and bickering desk drawer duo. Tension still buzzed in the tight car, but we somehow managed to keep things from erupting in our faces. Cool, calm, and collected, we made excellent time.

              Adonis towered over me when he took his larger form. Gently shaking his mane out, Adonis cocked his head in my direction and looked down at the bitties still in the car.

              “I’ll keep Saphenous on my shoulder to make sure he behaves. You take the others.” I instructed him. As much as I craved keeping all of my bitties clutched to my chest, I needed to make sure that I could use my hands, and Saphenous could easily balance on my shoulder in comparison to the others who needed some kind of fabric grip that my shoulder bearing dress wouldn’t provide, “Keep close to me alright? If anyone asks you questions, be honest and careful. I don’t like lying, but you’re allowed to spin things to make them sound less negative.”

              “Yes ma’am.” Adonis placed the desk drawer duo on one of his shoulders. Cesar and Babylon awkwardly sat next to each other on his other shoulder. Adonis’s bias came into play when he gently situated Copper in his arms. Saphenous crawled up my arm and took a seat close to my neck. He nipped my neck out of anxiety before settling down. All of the scents and sounds flooding down from the glimmering mansion had to be getting to him.

              “Excuse me ma’am.” A young man in uniform approached me, “Name?”

              “Nadia Victoria Newmore.” I held out my keys, “Where’s the valet?”

              It took me a couple of minutes to get my car parked and prove that I was Nadia Newmore. The fools actually tried to question my ID until Berken stepped out to greet someone else and spotted me.

              “Newmore. Glad you could make it.” Ever the professional, Berken shook my hand and Adonis’s, “I forgot that you could increase your sized Adonis…You look good.” Berken smiled at his ex-wife’s former bitty before turning that well practiced, cancer curing grin my way, “You look lovely as well Newmore. Thank you so much for attending tonight’s gala.”

              “It’s my pleasure and honor Mr. Berken.” I fought the urge to curtsy. The event was formal, but not _that_ formal. _I honestly think my parents might’ve hammered in the etiquette lessons **too** well._

              We managed to get in easily after that. None of the staff wanted to question Berken publicly after all. People gave Berken, Adonis, and I weird looks when we entered the ballroom. We truly must’ve looked like a strange sight- two older business powerhouses striding side-by-side discussing the weather instead of business mergers being trailed by a handsome looking “fire monster”. I could practically hear the murmurs.

              The ballroom was extravagant. Golden streamers decorated the ceiling. The entire room was lit mostly by candle light. Servers wearing sparkling gold vests flitting around the room with trays on their shoulders. Men, women, and children were dressed like they were going to Fashion Week or a princess’s birthday party. Live music played from a corner, and all of the china and silverware were cleaned and polished to perfection. The smell of delectable food mixed with the soft scents of the candles burning, the latest perfume women were wearing, and the powerful cologne the men bathed themselves in. It was a picturesque scene that belonged in a Hollywood romcom or action flick.

              I…

              Hated every little thing about it.

              Every piece of well-kept china was a reminder from the host that they were rich enough to afford such expensive plates, and every bit of painfully polished silver reflected back the caked faces of fake women and blank faces of soulless men. The whole “golden streamers and candlelight” shtick screamed tacky and acted as a painful way  of showing "cultured"-rich- the host was. Everyone else wore the kinds of dresses and suits that could be held side-by-side and judged down to the tiniest stitch. Nothing was real. Even the musicians playing in a small little alcove sang out syrupy love songs that made my ears ring, and the food had a truly bland taste.

              There was no _life_ in this ballroom. No vitality. No truth. Just lie after lie after lie after _lie_. It was little wonder that the middle class and lower couldn’t understand us. We couldn’t even understand ourselves because we didn’t know who “ourselves” were. How can you say that the person reflected in the mirror is you when it’s hidden under fifty layers of make-up and trained reactions?

              “You’re making a slight face.” Berken whispered to me.

              “I know.” I reached over and rubbed the top of Cesar’s head to calm myself.

              “Penny for your thoughts?” Berken raised a brow.

              “I never realized how much I hated these things.” I answered honestly. Berken actually laughed.

              “That’s good. I don’t think I have much respect for people who love these damn things….” Berken shook his head, “Bah. Have a good evening Newmore. Live a little.” With that and firm pat on the back, Berken left me to go speak with some of his associates.

              _Live a little? Where? In this lifeless void?_

              “Miss Nadia?” Adonis hummed quietly, “Where shall we go?”

              “Hmmm…” I looked around, pulling on my analytical way of thinking.

              Daniella was off speaking with a group of men and women. She didn’t wear an evening gown like the rest of the women. Instead, she wore a sparkly cocktail dress that looked like it belonged in a strip club. _I’ll definitely need to educate her on the kinds of things a woman wears to events like these to look proper and sophisticated- especially if she wants that promotion.._ Honestly, it was a bit painful to see the group laughing around her- probably at her.

              “Do you wish to go speak with Daniella?” Adonis asked.

              “No.” I shook my head, “That would ruin the good mood she has going on over there. Let’s fine someone else.”

              “Why would we want to help her?” Sparta scratched the back of her head.

              “Because good sportsmanship is ladylike.” I clucked my tongue in warning.

              Suddenly, I felt a warm hand touch my arm. I just barely tensed. Then I recognized the familiar heat signature. Grillby stood behind me all dolled up in the sparkly uniform the other waiters wore. He had a bemused twinkle in his eye as he let out the sounds that were my name.

              “You’re covering for someone who worked _here_ tonight?” In my shock, I actually laughed, “Well, I suppose that must’ve been what you wanted to tell me.” Grillby nodded. Just seeing the young monster helped soothe my nerves a little bit, “I’m glad to see you Grillby.”

              “ **To  o o o.** ” He buzzed in agreement.

              _Perhaps tonight won’t be so terrible._

              “Hey monster freak!” A beady eyed man spat across the room, “I want another drink!”

              “Excuse you?” My clipped voice made the man stop in his tracks. Within seconds, the drunkard recognized me.

              “Miss…Miss Newmore.” He actually began to sweat a little bit.

              “Yes. Miss Newmore- who is currently talking to _Grillby_.” I kept my voice flat, but my gaze rendered the idiot practically mute, “Why don’t you try waiting and asking for his attention politely? Or did your parents fail to teach you common decency and _manners_ good sir?”

              “Of course not ma’am.” The man looked down at the ground and timidly backed away, “I’m sorry. I’ll go speak with another waiter.”

              _Little bastard….I should tug on some strings to ruin his night for that._

              Saphenous rubbed my jaw when I began to grind my teeth together a little bit.

              Grillby said my name again and made soft noises of mixed disapproval and happiness.

              “Oh hush up you.” I took a wine glass from his tray, “I’ll call out a jackass when I see them.  Deal with it.” I actually…I actually stuck my tongue out.

              My parents would _die_ if they knew I did that in public.

              No wait.

              They’d kill me first.

              _Gah…this is going to be worse than I thought._


	21. Ugly People

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> I'm looking forward to the next chapter. Nadia a repressive character, so her being expressive is sooo much fun to write ;)

              People finally began to take notice of me after that little fiasco with the jackass that harassed Grillby. They flocked to me like I was some kind of messiah and began prodding me with the kinds of questions I had prepared for.

              “I’m sooo sorry about you and Edgar.”

              “It’s such a shame what happened to the Newmore-Tate power couple. Have you thought of getting back together?”

              “I hear you’re “working” for Berken now…Thinking about cashing in on those looks before they fade?”

              “You look a little plumper than usual. Already got a bun in the oven?”

              _Patience Nadia. Patience._ I took another sip of my glass of water before answering them.

              “Edgar was a disgusting piece of garbage that I never should’ve wasted my time on. He ran our company to the ground, and if he had a penny, I’d sue him for it. I don’t make the same mistakes twice, so _no_ , I will not be returning to him. I am working for Berken because I respect him as a businessman. He’s talented, whip smart, and knows how to keep things _professional_.” I glowered at the gaggle of girls, “I’m also not pregnant. I had to gain weight under my doctor’s orders because I had lost too much during a period of time when I was sick. Being healthy should be everyone’s top priority after all. Ah, I think I see someone I’ve been meaning to talk to.” I lied. These women didn’t want business deals. They wanted gossip, and I lacked the saintly measure of patience needed to give it to them, “Good evening.”

              “Is it that monster you keep chatting with?” One of the women clamped her hand down on my wrist. All of my bitties bristled and made low noises of disapproval that had her releasing me soon enough, “I heard a rumor that you might be…’involved’ with him. I should tell you right now, it won’t look good on your character to be associating with them.”

              _Excuse me?_ I carefully grinded my back teeth together discretely to keep my last nerve from snapping.

              “Grillby is a dear friend of mine- kind, hardworking, and respectable. Perhaps you wouldn’t have to hide the marks on your face under forty layers of make-up if you chose men that were half as good as he was.” I made a ‘tch’ noise and pointed to my chin, “By the way, you have a bruise showing.”

              With that, I left.

              _Well…that was incredibly bitchy of me._

              As much as I would’ve like to help that woman once I noticed the bruising, she ruined her chances by insulting one of the only friends I actually had in the world.

              “She is such a bitch.” Sparta grumbled, yawning out of pure boredom, “How much longer do we have to put up with this?”

              “I’m gunning another hour. Then, we leave.” I promised them.

              This night had been one painful conversation after another. Listening to husks of people prattle on in their shallow conversations made any breath of vitality and genuine interest a panacea for my souring mood. It was hard to believe that once upon a time I actually enjoyed these things. They seemed so pointless that evening. Nothing productive was getting done. No deals were being made. Everyone just walked and chatted, flashing their expensive technology, clothing, and jewelry while bragging about their accomplishments nonstop.

              _It’s little wonder Josephine and Olivia detested these stupid parties. I feel my brain cells dying._

              It was hard to believe that I had been looking forward to the gala. I hadn’t been to one since the Edgar-Parent fiasco began, but I refused to believe that I could feel such strong feelings of true distaste so easily. The whole event found itself plagued by pointless chatter and mundane monotony.

              _If I get the promotion…I’ll have to go to a lot more of these things._

              My face almost twisted into a look of revulsion. Just attending _one_ wore down on my nerves. I couldn’t even begin to imagine going to more than one as a job requirement. Attending events like this quickly became a “con” in my mental list of “pros and cons” for the potential promotion. The pay raise and more flexible hours would be amazing, but I doubted my ability to withstand all of this nonsense without losing my mind.

              “I think I need a breath of fresh air, and Saphenous is one more waltz away from losing his mind.” I sighed, turning back to face Adonis. I was lucky that he was patient and willing to put up with all of the foolish people that gawked at him, “Sparta, Julius, do you still want to get your hands on some wine?”

              “i’m going to start breaking heels if i don’t get some kind of booze in my system.” Julius grumbled. Sparta nodded in agreement while rubbing her temples in annoyance, “think the oldie could do with a bit himself.”

              “i hate it when you say something i agree with.” Copper sighed, “how can so many women that could reach the same, _painful_ pitch of voice be in the same room?”

              “Vocal training from the age of five.” I couldn’t stop a wry smile from crossing my face, “Adonis? Would you mind taking them to get some wine? I don’t want to risk them being drugged.”

              “Of course.” Adonis nodded.

              “MOTHER. COULD I STEP OUT WITH YOU?” Cesar’s fingers fumbled his shades, but Babylon caught them before they fell to the ground, “AH..THANK YOU BABYLON.”

              “No problem.” Babylon put the shades back on his face, “Could I go too? If I heard the musicians play the same song for the tenth time, I’ll lose my mind.”

              “Sure.” I took the two of them from Adonis’s shoulder, “Come find me out on the balcony when you’re done.”

              “Of course. Stay safe.” Adonis told me, eying a couple of unsavory looking characters that leered at me from the shadows.

              “Oh don’t worry. Saphenous needs some kind of entertainment.” The bitty in question hissed at the jackasses leering at me and gnashed his teeth together in their direction. The men retreated back into the shadows, “Let me know if anyone harasses you.”

              The lungful of clean, fresh air the instant I stepped outside almost made me cry. Stars twinkled in the early evening sky, and the water of the lake the manor the gala took place at was near looked like a beautiful pool of ebony. Since the whole thing was painfully lit by candlelight, no artificial light killed the breathtaking glow of the full moon. I remembered that Josephine desired to live out in the woods one day- away from the city, away from concrete jungles and fake suns. In that moment, I could see why.

              “ **i want to kill whoever designed cologne.** ” Saphenous rubbed his nasal cavities with an annoyed look on his face. He kept subtly gulping in fresh air to clean out the scents that had been bothering him all night, “ **why do these assholes have to practically bathe in it**?”

              “Probably to make it harder for other people to smell their bullshit.” Babylon snorted, taking a seat on the railing and enjoying the night sky, “I’m just glad that the women eyeing us haven’t actually tried to take us from Adonis to cuddle. They reek of cheap perfume.”

              “If only it were cheap.” I snorted, “Those tiny bottles of perfume probably cost as much as my college tuition for four years put together.”

              “THAT BAD?” Cesar looked at me, a skeletal ‘brow’ raising over the shades.

              “And _I_ dual majored.” My parents forced me to also get a teaching degree- just in case they needed to shut down the sister company they were making for me. They could claim that I was leaving the business to go teach in colleges before shutting it down. _They always thought of everything didn’t they?_

              “ **ugh…you owe me _two_ ferrets.**” Saphenous warned.

              “One ferret and one fat rat.” I offered.

              “ **one ferret and a toad**.” Saphenous shot back.

              “Disgusting, but alright.” I leaned my chin against the palm of my hand after resting my elbow on the railing. Saphenous climbed back onto my shoulder as Babylon and Cesar began to wander up and down the railing to stretch their legs. With an amused smile on my face, I watched the two quietly discuss something. Nothing seemed too out of place in their conversation, but I did notice that Babylon seemed to grow a little tenser.

              _I wonder if Cesar just told him he knows about his crush…._ If that were the case, there would probably be a small scale bitty rebellion when Babylon would probably try to deck Adonis for breaking the news. _I can’t say that Adonis wouldn’t deserve it in all honesty. It wasn’t his place to directly spell things out._

              “ **will they just fuck already**?” Saphenous buried his face into my neck, “ **all this tiptoeing is driving me insane.** ”

              “Let them do it at their own pace.” I chided the bloodyberry as I stepped a little further away from the two talking bitties to give them some sense of privacy, “This is new for the both of them.”

              “ **it’s ridiculous.** ” Saphenous griped, poking me painfully out of displeasure.

              “It’s cute.” I corrected. Glancing down at my delicate silver watch told me that I still had about fifty minutes to kill before I could make a graceful exit that wouldn’t offend anyone.

              “Ah!”

              “BABYLON!”

              I looked over and found that Cesar had caught Babylon. The boss held the hybrid close as he hauled him up into a standing position on the railing once more.

              “Cesar? Babylon?” I called out.

              “BE MORE CAREFUL!” Cesar snapped at the hybrid, “YOU COULD’VE SERIOUSLY HURT YOURSELF.”

              “Oh like you give a damn.” Babylon shoved away from Cesar, “You’ve known this _entire time_!? Are you fucking kidding me? It never occurred to you just give me a goddamn answer?”

              _So they **were** discussing that…_

              “I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT MY ANSWER WAS.” Cesar snapped back, “LIKE I SAID, I ONLY FOUND OUT AFTER ADONIS TOLD ME.”

              “I’ll fucking kill him.” Babylon tugged on some of his flames, “That wasn’t his place. It wasn’t….dammit.”

              “ **uh oh**.” Saphenous’s flat voice made me want to flick the little asshole.

              “Babylon. Cesar.” The commanding tone I tended to only have to use with Sparta and Julius came through without me realizing it until the two bitties froze, “Be careful. That’s a straight drop to the ocean.”

              “You!” Babylon glared at me, “You knew that he knew!?”

              “I did.” I crossed my arms, “Cesar isn’t exactly the brightest bulb in the box when it comes to romance Babylon. That’s why Adonis told him.”

              “He had no right!” Babylon roared.

              “He did it because we were all getting tired of you and Cesar just stumbling around blind.” I patiently tapped my foot in a staccato rhythm, “If you have a problem with that, you should take it out on him- not Cesar.”

              “Bastard thinks he can just walk into my life and act like the second dad I never had.” Babylon turned and walked away from us, practically melting the railing in his anger, “I don’t need someone to hold my hand and do the big things for me!”

              “ **considering the fact you never told him, i’d argue you do.** ” Saphenous snorted.

              “Shut up!” Babylon yelled at him.

              “BABYLON. PLEASE CALM DOWN. YOU’RE GOING TO FALL.” Cesar looked hesitant to reach out towards the hybrid, but he also looked equally concerned, “I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO THINK AT FIRST. THAT’S WHY I NEVER MENTIONED IT. I NEEDED TIME TO THINK. DON’T YOU WANT TO HEAR MY ANSWER?”

              Babylon hesitated.

              “Miss Nadia.”

              Adonis’s footsteps were off. They were too quick, too loud. I looked over and found all of my bitties looking surlier than usual- ready to hit someone.

              “There is an issue.” Adonis’s voice held a dangerous crackle, “A big one.”

              “What’s going on?” I quickly grabbed Cesar and Babylon from the railing, wincing when the hybrid accidentally burned my palm.

              “That bitch is running her mouth.” Sparta had more than one spear ready. Pissed off beyond measure, she slammed one into the ground hard enough to bury it halfway into the concrete, “Fucking hell!”  
              “betrayal. that’s what’s going on.” Copper looked surprisingly angry, “daniella is what’s going on.”

              “Daniella?” I’m ashamed to admit that my voice took on a childlike quivering when I asked that, “Betrayal?”

              “I think it would be best for you to see for yourself.” Adonis glowed with anger, offering me his shoulder to put Babylon and Cesar on. Adonis also reached out and grabbed an increasingly annoyed Saphenous, “This won’t be pretty.”

              Daniella still stood surrounded by a flock of people happily tittering on about the latest gossip.

              “You’re joking!” One of the women gasped.

              “I’m not!” Daniella took a sip of her wine, “Nadia actually went to a strip club and picked up the bartender- a _monster_ bartender.”

              There was a collective sound of disgust.

              “I thought she was getting back with Edgar.” One of the men furrowed his brows.

              “She probably is. I mean, he went to Grayridge with her, but then her monster boy toy came out of nowhere and attacked him!” Daniella said it like she was disappointed me, “Honestly, the company she keeps….Did you know that she got into a fistfight with some women over a _bitty_ of all things? She even got all of them fired! The whole floor was in uproar for weeks afterwards.”

              “How dirty!”

              “Vile.”

              “What did they do?”

              “Why the same thing she was trying to do. Kissing up to Berken.” Daniella batted her eye lashes, “Not that Berken would ever waste his time with some old dried up one trick pony.”

              “True. True.”

              Something inside me honestly _snapped_ in that moment.

              I thought back to meeting her children, to going out to lunch with her, her kids and her husband, to chatting over coffee in the office. She intentionally slid her way under my arm…for this? No…the promotion was only on the table for a little while. She probably did it all for a situation _like_ this- a chance to knock down her biggest competition.

              I was rich. She was poor.

              I had grown up in this lifestyle. She had learned how to live it- poorly.

              I had hard work and logical analysis covered. She had oodles of charisma and beauty.

              In the world of business, she was just supposed to be the trophy drudge that the company would flash around, but she didn’t want that. No. She wanted to be the next Nadia Newmore. She wanted to be the next businesswoman to demand respect by just saying her first name, and I was the queen of that category in the Mt. Ebott area- no the _goddess_. Business majors worshiped the ground I walked on. They didn’t even notice her shadow.

              _It makes so much sense…._

              My parents’ teachings came back to me.

              _“Do not trust_ anyone _. They’ll all be betray you.”_

_“You have what they want. They’ll do anything to take it from you.”_

_“You have to destroy them when they try.”_

_“Completely and utterly. Leave them a mess on the side of the road people won’t even spit at because it’s so pathetic.”_

_~~“Crush them.”~~_

_~~“Eviscerate them.”~~_

_~~“Make them pay.”~~_

_“ ~~You’re~~ _ ** Nadia Newmore ** _~~goddammit~~!” _

              “Miss Nadia? How do you want to play this?” Adonis murmured to me.

              “I say we kick her ass.” Sparta hissed.

              “teach her a lesson or two.” Julius agreed, glaring darkly in her direction.

              “Violence is the kind of answer Josephine would go with.” My voice was cold, “She will be taught a lesson however. Stay back.”

              “WHAT!?” Cesar said alarmed.

              “I said stay back. I’m going to deal with this….now that I think about it…Go keep Grillby busy. He doesn’t need to see this.” Standing up straighter, chin held high, I walked towards the group.

              “I mean, how relevant is she anyways?” Daniella giggled, “She’s nothing now! “Nadia Newmore” doesn’t mean anything."

              The crowd laughed. As they began to quit laughing, I threw my own laughter in.

              They all froze and fell silent.

              Only the sounds of slow jazz building up to a crescendo and my heels clicking across the wooden floors with each way of my hips echoed around the room. Berken and a few of his associates noticed the shift in mood and turned their attention to me.

              “Well now Daniella- _darling_ ….” I faked a sweet yawn, “I hope you have better material than that. Otherwise your little comedy show isn’t going to sell many tickets.”

              “Excuse me?” Daniella turned a nasty shade of red.

              “Why…you are one massive joke aren’t you?” I raised a brow.

              She actually almost turned purple.

              _Oh sweetheart…I haven’t even given you your main course yet…_


	22. Ugly Endings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> The gala is a 4 part arc, but I think I'm going to hold off writing the finale until tomorrow. Then we have another 4 chapter arc followed by the beginning of the 6 chapter climax arc followed by the fallout chapters and the ending. Fingers crossed we can finish this by February so I can get Sunsets with you done.  
> I'm also thinking about retconning Shin or just reposting the original F&S again. I don't feel the same pull towards him that I do the other male leads I'm crafting. I've actually started Ty's spin off in the background- got the first few pages done at least. Eehhh...I'll see.

              “What was that?” Daniella’s eyes narrowed.

              Truly, she looked tacky compared to all the glitz and glamor that surrounded her. It was like looking at a little girl wearing one of her mother’s dresses after smearing her face in make-up. She could honestly do with serious fashion pointers. She also seemed to be unable to realize just how deep of a pit she had buried herself in. I was Berken’s _first_ choice to invite to the gala after all. She was the _last_.

              “Oh? Did I hear you incorrectly?” I batted my eyelashes and cocked my head innocently, “It sounded like you practicing a comedy routine- “Observations of a Failure” sounds like a good name for your routine by the way. I hope you don’t mind if I add to the conversation?” I moved to stand directly in front of her. _God. Even her perfume is cheap._ “I mean...wouldn’t it be _hilarious_ to talk about all of the money you’ve wasted on your little pet projects that haven’t seen any kind of return?”

              “Huh?”

              “Pet projects.”

              “Why don’t you all know?” I held a hand up to my chest and looked at the crowd with a syrupy look of ‘shock’ on my face, “She’s tried on more than one occasion to distinguish herself, but…well…her inexperience caused all the attempts to flop. I guess we can give her points for being tenacious though.” I laughed.

              “I’m not the one who came from a failing company.” Daniella forced a smile, “I guess that means you have a monopoly in financial failure.”

              “What on earth are you talking about darling?” I waved one of the waiters over and got a glass of water. My nerves were frayed, so a nice glass of ice cold water would help calm me down, “ _I_ didn;t see it fall. I was already elsewhere looking for work. My parents ran their company and mine to the ground despite my best efforts to keep it afloat, and _boy_ did I keep it going. Isn’t that right?” I looked around at the crowd and singled out people who had met with me before, “Heather, Yolanda, Uthgerd, Hank, Barry, Damien, George Senior, George Junior…you could probably wax poetry about how I single handedly saved your companies couldn’t you. After all, you would’ve _crumbled_ without my investments…”

              “Y-Yes…We’re still very grateful for your aid in our time of need.” George Senior actually seemed to sweat a bit. I suppose being stuck between and old blood, blue blood and scrappy upstart could make anyone uncomfortable.

              “Like I thought.” I shrugged one shoulder, “How about you Daniella? Ever stepped in to help others? Oh wait…right.” I forced an apologetic look as I winced, “You come from a single mother household that barely floated above the poverty line for twelve years…I guess it’s a good thing you married up then…Oh darling. Tell me..” I took a sip of my water, “How goes all of your dealings with the PI hm? Is your husband actually cheating on you?”

              _You’re not the only one who’s got dirt Daniella. You ran your mouth a lot darling._

              “Is that true?”

              “I did see her husband with another woman one time.”

              Daniella could tell that she was losing their attention. I was shocked that she honestly though that she would be able to keep them fascinated with drivel that they all knew had no validity. All of these people laughed and giggled with her because it was entertaining to them to watch this greenie try to impress them. There was no genuine support from any of them, and now they all feared my retribution for playing along with her antics.

              “My husband might be a cheating lowlife, but at least he never raised a hand against me.” Daniella still managed to keep up that sweet face despite it starting to crack at the seams, “I’m also not a cradle snatcher- and a monster one at that.”

              “It’s true that Edgar hit me, but my twin hit him back harder.” I winked at the crowd, “We all know my twin is notorious for her short temper and intolerance of _that_ jackass.” The crowd laughed, “As for the cradle snatcher accusation, I assume you’re talking about my budding friendship with Grillby. I don’t know why so many of you are harping on him being a monster. Monsters are dedicated workers that strive to improve not only their quality of life, but the quality of life of others. Their kindness and honesty is something humans should be taking note of. Besides, I didn’t realize we had regressed back to a day and age where men and women can’t simply be friends….By that logic you’re getting involved with half of our floor.” I flicked my hair and flashed a teasing smile, “But you can’t be doing that now can you? You’re our golden girl after all…” I drawled.

              Daniella was ready to completely lose her mind when Berken’s shadow loomed over her.

              “I heard there might be a cat fight. Hope I’m not too late for the party?” Berken teased, tucking his hands into his pockets.

              “We’re not that primitive Mr. Berken.” I laughed, putting a hand on my waist, “You’d owe us both a pay raise if it came down to that.”

              “….I’d almost say it’s worth it. Watching the two of you swing at each other would be an amazing source of entertainment.” Berken looked to the crowd to agree with him. They did- enthusiastically.

              “There are better ways to entertain people Mr. Berken.” I rolled my eyes playfully and handed my only partially drunk glass of water to a nearby waiter, “If this place needs to be livened up, I could provide you many options. I do play three instruments, sing, dance, and fence if you really want some bloodshed. This party has gotten a little bit dull…” I looked around at the people who were now at least keeping one trained ear on our conversation. We weren’t exactly being subtle.

              “I didn’t know you sang.” Uthgerd cleared her throat.

              “I was the lead vocalist in my church choir actually. I even sang internationally and won three awards for it.” I opted to examine my finger nails like I was growing a little bored, “Besides, it always makes a great party trick, and I hate dull gatherings. If we’re all going to sit here and gossip, there might as well be some true entertainment to break the monotony of it all.”

              “Gossip?” Berken asked, coming to stand _beside_ me, “Whatever about?”

              “Oh just some silly rumors. Apparently, people think we’re going to run off to Vegas or something.” I chuckled, “Like we’d have the time in our schedule do something so frivolous.”

              “I’m still trying to win back my wife’s heart.” Berken laughed heartily, subtly glowering at Daniella for the almost character-assassination, “Such rumors and the people who start them really should learn their place.”

              “Their place?” One of the people from the flock around us chimed in.

              “Buzzing around some light waiting to fly too close and die of course. They tend to be those little schemers instead of people actually trying to make a difference with their actions.” Berken shrugged, “I don’t have much respect for them.”

              Daniella looked ready to honestly faint.

              _What’s that sound….? The sounds of your dreams crashing around your ears? Did you honestly think Berken would support dirty plays like this? He’s a very emotional man that loves his wife and respects people he’s worked with. Trying to slander me_ and _dragging him into the crosshairs isn’t exactly a way to endear him to you sweetheart._

              “How goes your efforts to win her back?” I asked him, effectively dismissing Daniella without saying a single word.

              “Far from smoothly.” Berken sighed, “Her sister keeps stonewalling me every step I take. I guess I need to amp up my game...Got any advice Newmore?”

              “Well, the biggest advice I can give you is to try not look like a stalker.” I warned him, “It’ll just give Highlander more ammo to keep her away from you.”

              “But what is the line between love sick fool and stalker?” Berken scratched the back of his neck.

              “When you go from calling her once a week to sending her flowers every single day.” I raised a teasing brow. Berken actually flushed a little bit and nudged me with his elbow, “Have you tried maybe speaking with some of her friends?”

              Any and all further conversations about me faded into nothingness. Daniella quickly became irrelevant as the crowd tried to kiss Berken’s ass and offer love advice to the poor little CEO. _Sorry for throwing you under the gossip bus Berken….I appreciate the help though._ Daniella somehow managed to stealthily disengage despite her over the top cocktail dress making her look like a walking disco ball. _I do hope she’s learned her lesson. I’m not someone to be trifled with._

              I could already hear my sister calling me a bitch all the way in Grayridge though. The small part of me that had genuinely hoped that Daniella would become my actual friend finally began to cry out in agony. I had foolishly allowed myself to garner hope, to even imagine a potential future where I could have a “girl friend” that I met up with on Saturdays for brunch and gossiped with. It was yet another failed relationship burning beneath my feet.

              Grillby finally managed to work his way back into the ballroom with my bitties trailing behind him, trying their best to keep him from noticing something was off. Thankfully, all of the drama had left the room, so I didn’t have to worry about him seeing any of it. He didn’t deserve to be dragged into my drama if I could keep it from ever reaching his ears…. _I feel like Josephine right now….I can’t tell if that’s a good thing or not._

              Daniella disappeared out onto the balcony, and I decided then and there that we needed a proper confrontation. My heart would be destroying itself until I got the answers I needed. Making excuses to slide out of the conversation was easy enough. The crowd seemed to like me again, and they encouraged me to speak with them again sometime that night and grew “sad” when I told them I would probably be leaving in the next twenty minutes. I told them half-fibs about all of the work I needed to do- which prompted Berken to start complimenting my skills and abilities in the work place.

              _I don’t know how I’ve stacked up against the other people vying for the promotion…but I’d say this was a successful night to some extent._

              ~~You’ve lost the only woman to ever even try to be your friend for the past four years though.~~

              _I will not be saddened by her betrayal._

              ~~Your heart says otherwise.~~

              I bit my lip and motioned for my bitties to stay with Grillby as I pursued Daniella outside. This was going to be messy, and I didn’t want them involved if I could avoid it. They’d probably end up physically harming her or something equally frustrating that would take more than a little time for my reputation to recover from. I did realize how stupid it was to go on my own though. She was probably going to hit me or something equally stupid.

              “Dammit!” Daniella’s fist slammed into the warped railing that Babylon once paced, “How fucking dare she…”

              “I could say the same thing of you “best friend”. I should’ve recognized your behavior….” I shook my head. The band began to play a low blues song that captured my mood perfectly. The deep bass echoed my aching heartbeats, “Why Daniella? I thought we were….friends…”

              “Friends? With you?” Daniella whipped her head around and growled at me, “Why the hell would I waste my time becoming friends with the ice queen.”

              _Ouch…that actually hurts coming from you._

              “So I take it this was all away to give yourself a leg up in the business world then?” I strolled to stand beside her and looked out at the ocean, “You wanted to build up ammunition to drag me down off of my pedestal?”

              “It’s not fair that you just get a throne because of your last name while my family had to claw its way up to just being the court jester!” Daniella roared.

              “Life isn’t fair.” I said hollowly. _Trust me. I know._

              “Like you’d know! You probably ate off of million dollar china with a platinum spoon when you were a toddler. You and your sisters ruin EVERYTHING. You destroy the chances of people like me by holding monopoly over the business world. Your twin ruins any future artist’s chances by simply existing! My friend Annie was run out of business by that bitch! Then you have that bratty little waif pretending that her restaurant is worth a damn and driving out my uncle’s restaurant two buildings down because she’s cheaper!” Daniella slammed her hand down on the railing, “I hate you so fucking much. I hate your family. I hate your picture perfect upbringing. I hate how you’re living the golden life without giving a damn about the people actually suffering in the world.” Daniella actually spat at me. I held up my hand to keep it from ruining my make-up.

              “I see. So that’s how you truly feel about me.” A pained, but wry smile crawled across my face, “A privileged, basic bitch that doesn’t even know what pain is.”

              “Exactly.” Daniella hissed, “You probably even fucking lied about your husband hitting you to garner sympathy after your parents more than likely fired you- drama whore! If the camera’s not on you, it might as well be turned off huh?”

              “Ha.” I chuckled despite myself.

              _Did I remember to…take my medication?_

              All of my dark feelings rose up and crashed into me in that moment. My hands clenched on the railing as I struggled to ride out the waves of pain my depression was shoving down my throat. Daniella’ squeaky voice became a pointless din to my ears. My body trembled.  Tears burned behind my eyelids.

              _If this is the way everyone is going to treat me….why do I even try?_

_What’s the point? No one really cares about me._

_When I’m fake, ~~I’m a pathetic money grubbing whore.~~_

_~~When I’m me, I’m an aggressive bitch that deserves nothing.~~_

_~~What can I do? How can the wicked witch change? Can she change?~~_

**~~What’s the point in even trying……~~ **

              “Are you actually crying?” Daniella sneered, “Stop those crocodile tears bitch. I know they’re fake. You probably don’t even have a heart.”

              _The ocean looks so pretty…._

“SHUT IT BITCH!” A red rimmed spear whizzed past Daniella’s head. Annoyed bitties tackled her and looked ready to draw blood, “What the fuck is wrong with you you sadistic little whore!”

              “IT SEEMS LIKE YOUR CRUELTY KNOW NO BOUNDS.” Cesar sneered, bristling with magic like the others, “HOW DARE YOU DO THIS AFTER GIVING MOTHER FALSE HOPE.”

              “ **never realized how much of a bitch you could be….guess pretty faces _can_ hide ugly hearts.**” Saphenous lightly traced over her throat with one of his blades. One press would be all it took.

              “Enough.” Adonis demanded order from them, “Miss Nadia?”

              I didn’t want to look at him. I really didn’t want to look at anyone in that moment. I just wanted to stare at the ocean and watch it grow closer and closer.

              A warm pair of arms pulled me away from that train of thought. Grillby tucked me into his chest and buried one of his hands in my hair. He didn’t wear the sparkly vest, so my make-up began to stain his uniform. _Ah…his shift must be over then…Damn…I didn’t want him to see me like this. I really didn’t want him to see me like this._

              “Go back to Adonis.” My voice cracked a little, but my bitties heeded my order, “We should leave. There’s not much point in staying here.”

              _I really need to get back home and take my medication.... ~~maybe the whole bottle.~~_

              “Your little freaks just threatened me!” Daniella shrieked.

              “trust me when i say, you’d be dead if we wanted you to be.” Copper spat in her face- literally, “Worthless scumbags like you aren’t worth the jail time though.”

              “oi…” Julius waved his hands to get my attention, “oooiii….you can’t exactly walk out like that without drawing too much attention.”

              Grillby made some noises and pointed to a side exit off of the balcony.

              “WELL…THAT WORKS.” Cesar shrugged, “SHALL WE GO MOTHER?”

              I nodded, feeling more pathetic than ever.

              Surprisingly, Grillby accompanied me down and got into my car instead of Adonis. My fireroyal was a little hesitant to force the burden of driving home on Grillby, but the exhaustion that came with growing to human size seemed to influence him to let Grillby do it. My bitties- sensing the mood- all opted to sit in the back seat and pay Grillby and I little attention.

              “Don’t you have a car you need to drive back?” I murmured hoarsely. Grillby shook his head, “Oh…did you carpool here?” He nodded, “I see…” Tears began to form in my eyes, “I’m sorry you have to see me like this. I didn’t want you to have to get involved. Damn. I just mess everything up don’t I?”

              My laughter was humorless. My bitties made noises of disapproval from the backseat.

              Grillby’s hand pulled my chin up to let him rest his palm on my cheek. I looked over and saw him looking at me from his peripheral. His thumb rubbed against my wet cheek, sizzling as my tears burned his hand.

              “Grillby.” I pulled back to prevent further damage from happening, “Your hand…” He said my name, “What? Grillby..” I chided him- drying my face and willing back my tears. I examined his hand to make sure that damage wasn’t severe. Most of it was shallow, so some monster candy would heal it up immediately. Grillby’s hand clamped down on mine.

              He didn’t let go the rest of the ride home.

              Eventually, my bitties slowly edged from the backseat to front to slide under my arm and onto my lap. They didn’t intrude by filling the car with pointless conversation, but their silent presence was enough to keep me calm.

              My apartment building had never looked so spectacular in my entire life. I did dread having to say good-bye to Grillby however. I didn’t want him to let go of my hand. He’d become my life line in darkness of my car, my candle in the pit of despair I found myself wallowing in. I probably ended up squeezing his hand too much, but he didn’t complain. He parked the car with one hand and turned to look at me. He cupped my face with his other hand once more, ignoring Saphenous stabbing at his fingers.

              “You probably…have to go home huh?” I said weakly. He shook his head and squeezed my hand, “You’ll…stay?”

              _For once…_

              He nodded.

              I started crying again.

              _My bitties are going to start thinking they need to carry a box of Kleenex at this rate._


	23. A Beautiful Person

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> :D I said the fluffy times were coming. Even I can only handle so much angst.

              The slightly chilled shower helped me wash away the rest of my tears and make sure all of my make-up was off. My bitties were giving me privacy by _only_ having Sparta in the bathroom with me. The jaws didn’t seem to like being assigned as my babysitter, but she bathed in the sink without much fanfare. Only the noises of water sloshing around could be heard. There wasn’t enough noise to distract me from my thoughts.

              _Realistically speaking, I should’ve prepared for any alternative once I saw that Daniella was on the list. She’s a desperate woman that wants to provide for her new husband and step-children….of course she’d be willing to crush any competition. I’d do the same thing if I were in her shoes. I can’t believe I let myself get sucked in like that. What a foolish, rookie mistake._

              “Hey, you.” Sparta called out to me. I had been so caught up in my thoughts, letting my conditioner run down my hair, that I didn’t notice she had drained the sink and begun to towel her hair, “You’re going to catch something if you stay in there too much longer. Finish scrubbing your scalp and get out here already.”

              “Ah…right.” I began to wash my hair out.

              I heard the noise of the apartment door being opened. _Grillby must be back from getting Saphenous’s reward._ The young monster had been hesitant to leave my side, but Saphenous and I had a deal. I also really needed some quiet time to put myself back together. Grillby was an amazingly patient person and being around him when I want to scream out in frustrated, angry, sorrow tended to make me feel even worse.

              There was a knock on the bathroom door as I stepped out.

              “Yes?” I bent down to pick up my towel.

              “Grillby and I have returned Miss Nadia.” Adnois’s muffled, tired voice just barely reached me through the door.

              “Alright. I’ll be out in a couple of minutes.” Drying my hair to prevent Adonis, Babylon, and Grillby from getting injured was the most important thing in that moment, “I need to dry off.”

              Adonis said something to the effect of “alright” before heading off to probably check on the other bitties. I was very lucky that most of my bitties were independent enough to not need as much emotional care like my sisters’ bitties did. While mine did require the occasional comfort, I didn't have them stuck to my ankles or always within reach….minus Cesar, but that was because my weak will often needed the rough comfort that my first bitty had gotten used to providing for me.

              “You’re just messing your hair up for no reason.” Sparta threw a comb at me, “Get your head out of your ass and comb your hair before you blow dry it. You don’t want it to tangle.”

              “Correct. It would be a pain to get a knot of hair when it’s this short. I’d probably have to cut the knot out.” I picked up the comb after wrapping the towel around my body, “Do you need help combing your hair Sparta?”

              “No.” Sparta raked a brush through her dark red locks, “I don’t want other people’s hands messing with my hair- it’s mine.”

              “I just thought it might make it easier for you since your hair is so long.”

              “I don’t want easier.” Sparta sneered back. Then she went to plug in my hair dryer for me. It took all that remained of my logical point of view to not point out that she let Julius tend to her hair often, “Come ooonn…what part of you’re going to catch something being cold don’t you understand?”

              “I’m not going to catch something that easily.” I grabbed my hair dryer, “I take cold showers often. It’s good for my skin.”

              “Crazy human.” Sparta snorted, tugging on her pajamas- which consisted of plaid bottoms and one of Julius’s shirts.

              “I couldn’t be sane if I went off and adopted all of you.” I shot back.

              Sparta actually had to hide a smile. _I guess I am worrying her. Sorry Sparta._

              The jaws left my side once we stepped out into the apartment once more. I wore one of my more comfortable silk nighties and my old pair of bunny slippers I had had since I was in high school. Julius and Sparta had made joke after joke once they uncovered the ratty old slippers, but a few well-placed kicks from a disappointed and grumpy hybrid shut them up quickly. Adonis actually began to take care of the old slippers- mending some of the tears, replacing some patches of fabric, washing them correctly until they became soft again. Saphenous actually liked to sleep in them.

              I didn’t know how to tell them that these slippers were actually the last gift Grandmother gave me before completely abandoning me to my parents. Call me a sentimental fool for keeping something given to me by a person who hated me all you want. They were the only reminder of a brief happy period in my childhood I actually had.

              “MOTHER.”

              Cesar sat beside Babylon on the coffee table. The air around the two wasn’t awkward anymore, so I figured that they had talked things through while I showered. _I’m sorry that your argument got sidelined._

              “How are you feeling Nadia?” Babylon stood up as I knelt down by the coffee table.

              “Better.” I lied. Babylon bit me for it, “Fine. I’m still…rough around the edges. I do honestly feel a little bit better.” I no longer had to urge to swallow all the pills in my medicine cabinet after all, “I’m sorry that you couldn’t finish your argument with Cesar earlier.”

              “It’s fine. We worked things out.” Babylon patted the shallow bite mark he left on my finger.

              “Annnddd….?” I looked between the two. Cesar actually blushed a little.

              “MOTHER, PLEASE KEEP YOUR NOSE ATTACHED TO YOUR FACE AND OUT OF MY BUSINESS.” Cesar grumbled. Babylon actually laughed.

              “fucking hell!” Copper exited the kitchen yelling back at someone, “you’re a twisted freak you know that saph!? who fucking else would start off eating a frog by popping its eyes out!”

              “ **i would’ve figured you’d have a stronger stomach.** ” Saphenous retorted, sounding like he was talking around something in his mouth, ” **guess you aren’t as tough as you like to pretend to be.** ”

              “there’s a difference between being tough and being a weirdo.” Copper shook his head and looked at me, “that little murderer probably ain’t going to clean up his mess you know.”

              “When does he ever?” I said with an amused smile. More than one maid had quit after one too many rat corpses kept popping up across the apartment.

              “you holding up?” Copper asked while sitting down beside me instead of trying to struggle to get on the coffee table.

              “Barely.” I rubbed the top of his head. He usually disliked being coddled, but he didn’t get huffy this time around, “Where’s Adonis?”

              “helping grillby figure out the washing machine.” Copper yawned, “we’ve got a ton of clothes stacked up. i guess it bothered him.”

              “What?” I blinked, “Grillby doesn’t need to do anything like that.”

              I quickly stood up and made my way to the laundry room. Sure enough Adonis was quietly walking Grillby through the process of using our ridiculously expensive- I liked my clothes to be soft- washing machine. The fire monster seemed more than a little shocked at how much work we put into keeping our clothes clean and soft to the touch.

              “Grillby.” I sighed, catching his hand before he could continue, “You aren’t our laundry man last time I checked.” He had his phone whipped out of his pockets within seconds.

              “You’re out of the shower. How are you feeling?” He cocked his head at me.

              “Better.” I tried my best to keep my exasperation from threading into my voice, “Please don’t dodge my conversation. You don’t need to do my laundry for me. I can do it tomorrow.”

              “It’s going to collect mold at this rate.” Grillby argued, “It will only take me a couple of minutes. Please, go get some rest.”

              “You’re my guest Grillby.” I protested.

              “I want to.” Grillby hesitated before adding, “It’s one less thing you’ll have to worry about tomorrow. Please, just let me help out.”

              Something in the way he shifted awkwardly on his feet told me that this was more important to him than I thought. He wasn’t going to back down, and I really didn’t have enough mental stamina to try and talk him out of it. I released his hand to let him continue working. He actually leaned his head down and pressed his forehead against mine with a gentle smile before getting back to work.

              _This feels so domestic. Honestly Grillby, don’t give a girl mixed signals- especially when she’s so mentally exhausted a tumble in bed would actually be a relaxing arrangement._

              …

              Did that thought really just cross my mind?

              Damn, I must’ve been _very, VERY_ tired.

              I didn’t move away immediately. Shaking away all of the ridiuculously…lustful…thoughts didn’t keep my desire for just needing some kind of physical comfort at bay. For a couple of extra seconds, I stood beside Grillby not quite sure how to handle the situation. My arms moved before I could stop them though, and I ended up giving Grillby’s side a hug. Surprisingly, he hugged me back- mussing my hair up with one of his hands.

              “It has been a long night.” I sighed. Grillby nodded in agreement before gesturing towards the door, “Alright. Alright.” I clucked my tongue, “Fine. I’ll go act like some kind of invalid.” Grillby chuckled a little, “Hmph.”

              _At this rate, Daniella’s cradle snatcher accusation might hold some validity._

              Then again, Grillby was the kind of man to cover someone’s shift no matter how much it inconvenienced him, the kind who happily helped a stranger without much thought. He was acting on his instinct to offer a helping hand to those around him, so I doubted that he was having the same kind of mental lapse I was. _It would be sincerely awkward to develop a…crush…on one of the- if not the only- friends I have. Hopefully, this nonsense will all go away after a long night of rest._

              My bitties- minus Saphenous who seemed to have trouble finding the ferret- followed me into my bedroom. Cesar was the only one that usually slept with me in the bed. Thus, I was more than a little shocked when everyone- desk drawer duo included- hunkered down around me.

              “I’m not about to jump through a window you know.” I griped softly, running my hair across the back of Cesar’s head.

              “MAYBE. WE DON’T KNOW THAT FOR SURE. UNTIL WE’RE SURE, DEAL WITH IT.” Cesar nipped my finger as he stretched out. Babylon was already fast asleep next to him.

              “oooii…shaddup already.” Julius bit the back of my neck, “unlike a lot of these jackasses, i can’t get to sleep unless it’s just the crickets chatting away.”

              “We live in the city. There aren’t any crickets.” Adonis pondered aloud while making sure Copper was situated comfortably in between some pillows.

              “fuck you and your logic and go to fucking bed you sanctimonious, smug bastard.” Julius let out a deep yawn followed by snoring.

              “And there goes the edgy chainsaw. Good thing I brought my earplugs.” Sparta snorted.

              “oh great. the fatass snores. looovvvvellly.” Copper dragged one of the nearby pillows over his head to block the noise, “uuuggghhh.”

              “I suppose it’s no surprise that annoying people are just as annoying asleep as they are awake.” Adonis took his shirt off and tossed it off the bed before curling up beside a somewhat blushing Copper.

              “funny. you don’t snore last time i checked.” Copper bit back.

              “IT IS TOO LATE AT NIGHT FOR ME TO DEAL WITH THAT KIND OF NONSENSE.” Cesar dragged the blankets over his head, covering Babylon in the process as well, “SAVE THE FLIRTING FOR WHEN I HAVE ENOUGH BRAIN POWER TO YELL AT YOU PROPERLY.”

              “we’re not flirting jackass.” Copper smacked the Cesar shaped lump with the pillow.

              “Daddd.” Babylon whined, poking his head out from under the covers, “What was that for.”

              “ah…shit…sorry kid. forgot you were with him for a second.” Copper apologized.

              “ _For fuck’s sake will you people shut up!?”_ Sparta sounded like she was one more conversation from snapping.

              “I guess this is why we don’t make a habit of all sleeping together.” I actually managed a small giggle.

              “I SUPPOSE THAT’S AS GOOD A REASON AS ANY.” Cesar sighed, tugging Babylon back under the covers with him- which made the hybrid let out a soft yelp of surprise, “I ALSO THINK SLEEP DEPRIVATION IS MAKING US MORE SILLY THAN USUAL.”

              The only answer that got from Copper and Adonis was the sound of their heavy, sleeping breaths. Cesar must’ve been too tired because he didn’t even bother to pull the covers down to glower at the sleeping couple. Slowly but surely, everyone else began to relax and doze off, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I was awake longer than I expected. Saphenous- who actually bothered to clean up before crawling into bed with us- crawled into bed some time later and noticed I was still awake.

              “ **hi.** ” He sprawled out on my throat. I was resting on my side facing the empty side of the bed, so he wasn’t obstructing my airway.

              “Enjoy your snack?” I whispered back.

              “ **the ferret’s still running around. i’ll get him tomorrow though**.”

              “Please do. We don’t need it breeding with another rodent.”

              “ **hey. more prey for me to hunt.”**

              “More rodent shit for me to step into.”

              “ **that’s a you problem, not a me problem.** ”

              I flicked his head.

              One could assume that it was the presence of all of my bitties that helped me finally get to sleep. Their warm weight and occasional twitching was more soothing than one would expect. I didn’t find myself annoyed when Julius began to chew on my back some in his sleep. I didn’t find myself aggravated when Cesar and Babylon ended up shifting right under my breast which caused me discomfort. I just went into a dreamless sleep with a smile.

              The next morning, I found myself awakened by the awkwardness of the position I was in. Grillby had joined me at some point in the night, and I had rolled over onto my other side, causing Saphenous to slide down and form a ball under my chin. Grillby had one hand around my waist. Sparta and Julius were long gone. Babylon and Cesar were also nowhere in sight. Copper’s ribcage had gotten tangled in my hair some point during the night, so Adonis was accidentally tugging on my hair in an attempt to free the cranky sounding brassberry from his captivity.

              “Stuck?” My voice sounded like shit. I guessed a couple hours of crying and sleep would do that to a person.

              “yeah…” Copper grumbled, “it’s stuck around my spine too. don’t move.”

              “Don’t worry. I’m still half asleep.” I assured him.

              It took Adonis about ten minutes or so to safely remove our maimed brassberry from my hair. The fireroyal was more than a little smug about the whole thing- much to Copper’s annoyance. It was cute listening to the two of them quietly quip back and forth until Adonis scooped Copper into his arms and navigated his way out of the bed. Their commotion and noise woke up Saphenous who crawled out of bed without a single word. He did end up falling off the bed directly onto the floor. The ‘thud’ noise he made caused Grillby to squeeze me a little tighter.

              “You are such a cuddle bug.” I chuckled feeling down his arm until I reached his wrist. I could never stop being amused at how tiny his wrists were in comparison to the rest of his arms. It was yet another endearing trait of his, “Grillby…” I wriggled slightly, “I need to get up.” I had so much work to do, “Grillby.” I sighed, rolling over.

              In the end, I literally had to slide down to get out of the bed, popping out the end like a newborn infant and face planting into the ground. _No blood. Not much pain. My nose is fine. My chin hurts like a bitch though._ I stood up and glared at the sleeping monster a little bit. He tossed a little bit before situating himself in the warm area of the bed I had once inhabited, burying is face into my pillow and beginning to snore some.

              “Honestly…” I caught my reflection, “Jesus. I look like a bunch of horses decided to use my hair as a salt lick.”

              After I finished taming my short hair, I tugged on- _never_ tell Josephine I did this- a pair of sweatpants and a tank top. I was too emotionally drained to bother dressing up. It wasn't like I was going anywhere after all.

              I noticed a difference in my apartment when I first stepped out.

              My home was far from a pig sty, but it wasn’t usually so…orderly. With me and my bitties always stumbling around each other, we tended to leave things disorganized and out of place. It was shocking to find that all of my laundry had been gathered- a few even washed and ironed. My kitchen was spotless- all of the dirty dishes cleaned and put away.

              _How much cleaning did Grillby- oh my god, he even put the remains of Saphenous’s frog into a bowl to keep the blood from getting everywhere._

              “shocking huh?” Copper was watching the coffee pot work its magic, “he stayed up a lot later than we expected.”

              “I don’t know if I want to kiss him or kill him.” I felt a bit like a parent who had their house truly clean after living with messy toddlers for years, “Grillby…”

              “he still asleep?” Copper yawned.

              I nodded.

              “Well, it’s almost lunch, so you might want to wake him up.”

              _Lunch? I guess it’s been a while since my depression could control my sleeping pattern….Of course it had to take advantage._

              “You’re right. I think I’ll bring him some coffee.” I knew how he liked it after all.

              I returned to my bedroom with two mugs of coffee in hand and sat down on the bed next to Grillby.

              “Grillby?” I sat the coffee mugs down on the night stand when he didn’t respond, “Grillby…It’s time to wake up. It’s actually rather late in the day.” I shook his shoulder, brushing a few flaming curls away from his face. He blearily blinked his eyes open and looked around. He was still half asleep, “Come on Grillby. You should get up.” He said my name, slurring a little bit. I leaned in closer to see what he wanted to say.

              My brain must’ve short-circuited for a minute because there was no way in hell what happened actually happened.

              After briefly brushing his lips against mine, he slumped back down and made the annoyed sound of a sleepy person not wanting to get out of bed. My lips still burned a bit when I stood up and tried to regain control of my mental faculties.

              _This is…too much…So many things shouldn’t be allowed to happen so close together…wait… Nadia. He was half asleep. You probably woke him up from a wet dream about someone else. That’s all it was…get control of yourself._

              “Grillby.” I got control of my voice once again, keeping it firm, “Get up.” He made an annoyed huff. Taking a page out of my twin’s book, I grabbed one of the nearby pillows and cracked it across the back of his head. He actually dared to glare at me.

              _You shouldn’t allowed to be so attractive while young._

              To chase away that thought, I hit him again.

              In the face this time.


	24. Small Favors Returned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> Depression is so fun -_-  
> I'm just gonna go write and drown myself in bitties until I feel better, and I don't feel like waiting for a normal day to post these chapters either...soo...expect sporadic updates. I'm determined to get to Ch.30 by Saturday though!

              I don’t work for one night, and everything just goes to shit. The people I worked with honestly all deserved to be fired for their worsening performances. I even had one idiot e-mail me saying that they refused to help me because of the “trauma” I had caused Daniella. _Are these people professionals or professional crybabies?_ My already doubled workload then tripled because of that stupidity. _I will be telling Berken about this- definitely._ There was no way even I- the workaholic with a technology addiction- could realistically get all of that done without busting a vein.

              The sound of Grillby’s voice calling to me from the kitchen forced me to turn my attention away from the long list of things I needed to do. He held up some spices and cocked his head. I had to put on my glasses to read what the spices were before choosing the milder one. He and Adonis were working on dinner for me before Grillby had to go off to work his next shift. I honestly would’ve preferred it if he took the night off to get some proper rest, but he was too stubborn to listen to me. After making sure that he knew which one I wanted to be used, Grillby returned to the kitchen to continue cooking.

              “Hey, you.” Sparta stabbed my foot with a spear.

              “Hello.” I shoved my big toe right under her nose. She bit me, “What do you need Sparta?”

              “I can’t find Julius anywhere.” Sparta planted the rounded end of her spear into the floor, “Help me find him.”

              “Do you really need _my_ \- wait- None of the others like you two. Of course you need my help.” I sighed, rubbing my temples. Reluctantly, I pushed aside my tablet and laptop and stood up.

              “Hey! Babylon likes us most days. He’s just busy with that jackass.” Sparta protested.

              “Whatever helps you sleep at night.” I heard the distinct sound of something squealing as it died, “Find the ferret Saphenous?” The sound of flesh being torn into was answer enough, “Honestly.”

              It took Sparta and I a couple of minutes to locate the thoroughly annoyed edgy. He was hiding back in one of my drawers for some reason, and Sparta quickly ran me off once she came to some kind of realization. She essentially told me to kiss her ass, fuck off, and leave them alone. Thus, I stared at my drawer debating on whether or not I should have it shoved out of a window for a minute or two before returning to the living room.

              It was strange having someone else in my apartment. I was so used to the slight noise of the bitties that the slightly louder noise of Grillby moving around in my kitchen had me on edge- especially whenever I remembered what had happened. Grillby didn’t remember it at all. He’d woken up grumbling to himself and sticking his long tongue out at me before getting dressed and beginning to work on food for us to eat. From there, he absolutely refused to let me pick up where he left off on the cleaning, so I just focused on work instead.

              What was more than a little eerie was how quiet everyone was being. I had no idea where Babylon and Cesar were. Sparta and Julius were doing who knows what. Adonis and Copper were with Grillby, and Saphenous was sampling ferret. There wasn’t any fighting, roughhousing, or yelling for once. I couldn’t tell if I liked that or not. It just felt wrong.

              “ **…nadia.** ” Saphenous climbed up my leg. He had blood smeared all across his mouth, “ **just giving you fair war-** “

              I reached out after licking my thumb and scrubbed his mouth clean. Saphenous bit me for it. His eye actually twitched a little bit in annoyance. It was bad enough that his clothes looked like they belonged in a slasher flick. His face didn’t need to look like it either.

              “Now what were you trying to say?” I asked after prying my finger away from him.

              “ **from the looks of it everyone’s heat cycles are starting to sync up, so i’d expect things to be a bit…quiet for the next week or so….we’d all probably better stay here too now that i think about it.** ”

              “They can actually do that?” I cocked my head. Saphenous nodded. _That’s kind of like periods in all honesty._ “I guess that explains a couple of things. Will you all be alright here on your own?”

              “ **eh. worst case scenario is someone dies, but i think we’re all just going to mind our own business. shouldn’t be an issue.** ” He waved away my concern, “ ** _i’m_ going to be fine. i don’t have a mate or anything. the others are probably going to go a little of the deep end though.**”

              “Okay.” I covered his mouth, “I don’t need you supplying anymore mental images please and thank-you. I don’t think the others would appreciate you spilling the beans on their relationships either.” The little shit just smirked at me, “And you wonder why they don’t like you.”

              _I cannot catch a break can I?_

              I couldn’t. I honestly fucking couldn’t.

              Grillby had to leave right after he finished making some amazing curry. He still looked too tired for my tastes, but I couldn’t exactly tie him to my couch without things becoming awkward or someone calling the cops. My bitties still didn’t really come out of hiding. If anything, Adonis and Copper vanished into the recesses of my apartment.

              _Now…if only their heats could sync with my period. Then, they’ll all be this quiet when I feel terrible for an entire week. I doubt I’ll be that lucky however._

              Of course I wasn’t.

              My wellspring of luck- that was shallow on a good day- had to have dropped into the bowels of hell. Of _course_ , the first day I went back after the gala was when _all_ of my bitties needed to stay home. That meant that I was going to have to face all of the backlash completely and utterly alone. Fate just hated me.

              Berken- who had received my e-mail about the harassment and begun telling people to not show the fuck up because no CEO wants emotional workers ruining their business- told me that I wasn’t allowed to stay late since some of the jackasses were still trying to cause trouble. He didn’t want me to be in any potential danger. A normal person would probably rejoice at their boss telling them to not stay late. I got grumpy. Working from home was even harder than working in the office because my wi-fi would occasionally drop out and cause brief, painful chaos that left me further and further behind.

              “Oh my god. She actually came to work.”

              That was the first thing I heard when I stepped inside my workplace.

              _Well…what a lovely reception._

              “Can you believe her?”

              “She’s probably the reason why people got fired this morning.”

              “She’s so disgusting.”

              “I heard she left the gala with a _monster_.”

              “Vile!”

              “He’s apparently only in his early twenties too.”

              “So she’s seriously a cougar? How low do her standards have to be?”

              “She’s the one who deserves to be fired!”

              “Yeah.”

              “Uh huh!”

              _Are they trying to hurt my feelings or something to that effect?_ I just leveled the small group a flat, cold stare before heading to my desk. Some part of me burned with fury that they had insulted Grillby, but getting into an altercation at work wouldn’t do me any favors. They might even be able to get me fired if I did.

              “Newmore.” Berken stepped out of the elevator as I sat down at my desk.

              “Yes sir?” I called out to him.

              “Good job on landing us the best deal we’ve seen in three years.” Berken patted my back and showed me a fax complimenting the company for my efforts, “By the way, you do realize you have a lot- and I mean a _lot_ \- of vacation days stacking up.”

              “I’m saving them for my sisters’ weddings. Josephine is getting married in the fall, Olivia in the winter.” I explained, “I don’t want to waste them on simple things. Olivia’s already demanded that I go dress shopping with her sometime in November.”

              “Wouldn’t that be cutting it close to her wedding?” Berken raised a brow and cocked his head.

              “It will, but she can’t take off any time in the months before. Chez Newmore is booked up completely.” I shrugged, “She’s just got to find a dress that doesn’t need too many alterations. Worse goes to worse, Josephine could design and make it for her.”

              “I see. Well, I just wanted to make sure you didn’t lose them. They reset in January after all.” Berken stretched a little bit.

              _You also wanted to try and convince me to take a couple days off to protect me from my coworkers’ vitriol._

              “I don’t like using them for silly things. Unlike some of the people on this floor, I won’t just use them every time I get sick or “super stressed out”. I’m made of tougher stuff than that.” _So quit fretting over me already and get back to work. I’m not going to shatter into a million pieces because idiots that already hate me despise me even more than usual._

              Berken and I shared a long look before he sighed and nodded in understanding, a small smile on his face.

              “Keep up the good work then Newmore. Trust me when I say you’re impressing the right people.” He assured me.

              “That’s always good to hear sir.” I focused back on my computer.

              Daniella didn’t come into work that day. I didn’t even know if she still had a job there or not. With the way she acted at the gala, the chances of her returning were slim. If she were particularly spiteful, she’d start working for Highlander just to annoy Berken- which really wouldn’t bother him too much. Once he lost respect for someone, it was hard for that person to win it back.

              My coworkers couldn’t understand how I was so nonchalant about everything. I made sure to keep my poker face up _all_ day. They threw as many insults and jabs at me as they could. The simple barbs just rolled off of me without leaving a single scratch. Their hatred meant nothing in comparison to Daniella’s. It wasn’t like they had bothered to get to know me, to befriend me, only to turn around and stab me in the back when it was convenient for them to do so. A relationship of respect had to be formed before there could ever be betrayal.

              My phone ran during my lunch break.

              “Hey.”

              My twin’s voice sounded tired, but alert.

              “Josephine?” I blinked.

              “Grillby called Sans.”

              _Oh that traitorous little fireball._

              “So I assume you know about what happened then?” My voice became terse.

              “Only what Grillby knew- which wasn’t much. You aren’t biting off more than you can chew are you?” Josephine sighed, “I mean….well….Are you sure you’re even ready to become a CEO again?”

              “Not really.” I admitted, “I don’t mind keeping my doors open though. Why the sudden concern?”

              “Because Grillby said you were leaning over the railing some when he found you.” Josephine accidentally let a yawn slip.

              “Why are you so tired?”

              “Greyson got a cold, so Sans and I were taking turns all night with him.” Josephine grumbled.

              “He gets sick a lot.” I commented.

              “Yeah. Weak immune system. Doctor says it should balance out once he gets older. For now, he’s doomed to get all those little sicknesses that drive people crazy.”  Josephine chuckled a little, “He actually sneezed right into Sans’s eye socket once. He had snot literally stuck to his pupil.”

              “That’s disgusting.” I made a face.

              “No worse than a bitty that eats live prey.” She shot back.

              Our conversation quickly devolved into a childish argument that…made me feel better. This was normal. This was okay. It wasn’t our usual kind of brutal argument we had while I was married to Edgar. None of the barbs were sharp enough to hurt. Instead, they almost tickled.

              “You are such a pain in the ass.” Josephine yawned again.

              “You sound like you need a nap.” I chuckled.

              “I probably need more than one.” Josephine snorted, “Anyways, just…remember Olivia and I are one phone call away okay? I shouldn’t have to rely on Grillby to keep me updated on you.”

              _I…I…just one phone call away huh?_

              I refused to cry at work.

              “Of course.” I made it sound like she had said something stupid, “I do know how phones work after all.”

              “Oh you are just such a bitch sometimes.” Josephine groaned, “Bye whore.”

              “Good-bye skeleton fucker.” I hung up the phone before she could yell at me again.

              Work didn’t seem so bad after that. It honestly didn’t.

              I did end up getting a phone call from a rather annoyed Saphenous who complained about our neighbors complaining about him leaving the remains of a ferret by their front door because they were being obnoxious little shits and blasting their music too loud. Thus, that conversation was followed by a call from my landlord who wasn’t happy that the other residents weren’t happy with me, but all it took was one quick reminder of who I was to make the fool shut up. Finding a new place to live was already one of my top priorities since the gilded cage I lived in seemed to only be worsening on the inside. As much as Saphenous enjoyed the free food, I wasn’t as amused.

              “You.” Someone’s hand slammed down on my desk, “Dani didn’t come into work today. That’s your fault. If we lose our best worker here, it’s all _your_ fault.”

              I looked up to find one of Daniella’s little friends sneering down at me.

              _Ah. I don’t come to you, so you chose to come to me instead. How mature and professional._

              “I did nothing but correct some false information she tried to spread.” I returned my attention back to the 127 e-mails I needed to get done in the next two hours before leaving work, “Unless you’re here to discuss something work related, please leave. I have no time to spare for gossip right now.”

              “This is work related! We might lose our best worker!” The woman’s spit hit my ear.

              _Gross._

              “She was far from our best worker.” I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

              “What was that?” The woman went to grab my collar. I stabbed her arm with an envelope opener. She recoiled, “What the fuck!?” She held a hand to the small, shallow scratch on her arm.

              “This shirt won’t go back to normal if it’s needlessly stretched so keep your oily hands off of it.” I spun the opener in my hand, “I have every right to defend myself if I feel my personal safety is in question after all.”

              She backed off quickly.

              _A smart, but foolish woman._

              I was elbow deep in work when my phone went off _again_. It was just a text this time instead of a phone call, but I really didn’t have much time to spare for conversation. Then I saw that it was from Grillby and dropped everything.

              **Grillby:** Could I ask a favor?

              **Nadia:** Of course. What is it?

              **Grillby:** Fuku is staying late to study at the college, so I won’t be able to pick her up today for her weekend visit. Could you please pick her up for me? I don’t want her taking public transportation when Greenridge monster-human relations are so strained.

              **Nadia:** Sure. It’s no skin off of my nose. Where will she be?

              I could tell how much of a bind Grillby was in if he was asking me for help. He elaborated that she was staying so late that his shift at his second job would be in full swing, and he didn’t really have anyone else that could help- Sans was busy working on something and wasn’t answering his phone.

              “Why the fuck is she smiling?”

              “It’s not like she has anything to be happy about unless she’s glad that she fucked all of us over.”

              “She’s literally the worst person ever.”

              _Will you people stop jumping to stupid conclusions? I would have to_ care _about you to be glad that you’re all royally screwed for being stupid._

              By the end of the day, I was actually somewhat relieved that Berken wanted me to leave at a normal time. I doubted my ability to put up with their bullshit for any longer stretch of time. They all suffered from the “listen and believe” mentality and refused to even think of asking me my version of what happened.

              The way Daniella told it, I walked up and started trashing her in front of everyone for no reason. She was the defenseless victim that needed to be coddled and protected after someone she worked hard to befriend ruined her chances of getting the promotion she “oh so desperately needed” to “provide” for her new family. Daniella made more than enough money at the time to take care of her family as it was. She wanted the extra cash to just make things a little bit _easier._

              I wouldn’t mind if the promotion went to one of the lower paid workers. They actually deserved it and actually _needed_ it to help take care of their kids and spouses. If they had been the ones accusing me of “stealing” the promotion, I probably wouldn’t mind as much. I didn’t know how pathetic it made Daniella that _she_ was the only one complaining however….

               I left work without much of a fuss. The others were busy scrambling to get things ready for something they were all working on together. I think it was some kind of “welcome back” party for Daniella if she returned.

              _They have no lives._

              **Nadia:** On my way to go pick up Fuku.

              **Grillby:** Thanks again.

              **Nadia:** It’s no trouble at all.


	25. Large Favors Returned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> Nadia's going to give you money Grillby. Just take it already XD  
> Also, the Cesar/Babylon baby is def happening, but I'm having a hard time designing the little shit because...how do you meld a papyrus-type with a hybrid?

              It was strange stepping onto a college campus. I hadn’t been to one in years after all. The students buzzed with an active campus life that was the very definition of enviable. They laughed and joked around openly, enjoying their time together. They also tended to openly stare at me as I walked by. Their gazes weren’t hostile, just curious, but their eyes did leave me wishing more and more that I had my bitties with me.

              _I suppose I would be curious if a new, older woman just waltzed onto campus looking like a lost adventurer._

              A couple of students even asked if I knew where I was going. I lied and assured them that I did. My phone had a map of the school pulled up, and I was determined to find my way on my own without disturbing the students as much as I possibly could. They were trying to learn after all. They didn’t deserve to have me tread on their toes.

              “Ma’am.”

              I looked over my shoulder and found a security guard.

              “Yes sir?” I turned to face him, “Is there an issue.”

              “A couple of students reported a woman wandering around campus.” The officer examined my face- probably looking for any signs of intoxication- before continuing, “Can I ask what you’re doing here ma’am?”

              “I’m here to pick up a student. She’s returning home for the weekend, and her guardian doesn’t want her to have to take public transportation if she can avoid it. The girl’s a monster. Her guardian worries for her safety.” I explained, reaching into my purse to find my wallet in case he needed to see my ID.

              “What’s the student’s name?” The officer asked.

              “Fuku Flamesman.” It was hard to not chuckle any time I heard their last name. Honestly, it made me wonder if all monsters were just terrible at naming things and people, “She’s a business major here.”

              “I know her. Her cousin sent you then?” The officer raised a brow and looked me up and down, “You that Nadia?”

              “Um…” _“That Nadia”? What the hell?_ “My name is Nadia- Nadia Newmore.”

              “Ahh….Her cousin mentions you a lot. You can go ahead. You know where you’re going?”

              _Grillby mentions me a lot?_ My heart actually…fluttered a bit…just a bit.

              “In all honesty, no. I think I’ve been walking in circles.” I glared down at my phone, “That’s probably why the students were reporting me in all honesty.”

              “I can take you to the building.” The man gestured for me to follow him, “That way you aren’t spooking the students so much.”

              “Thank you.”

              _Also thank you for not commenting on my blush._

              Sure enough, I had passed Fuku’s building about three times. Some students who had been sitting there long enough to see me walk by all three times snickered when the security guard loudly declared that I was at the building and ordered me to seek help if I got lost again. _How rude of you kind sir._ It took all of my self-control to not bolt into the building to just get away from the snickering students. _This is singlehandedly the most embarrassing moment of my life- most_ certainly.

              “Ma’am?” A teacher raised a brow at me when I entered.

              “I’m looking for Fuku Flamesman. Could you tell me where she is?” I asked her.

              “2nd floor up this stairwell. Third door to the right.” The woman lost all interest in me after she added, “Don’t do anything stupid.”

              _Why are they all assuming I’m here to cause them trouble? I’m still dress professionally and I…probably look like a loan shark with the short hair and black/red ensemble. Fuck. I need to add more gray and white to my closet at this rate._

              Black and red had simply become my colors over the years. People tended to not take me seriously if I was dressed like their grandmother, and browns washed me out because of my tan. Thus, black- the color always in season- and deep reds were all that filled my closet after a couple of years of trial and error during my college years. I also learned that making myself look taller helped- simple jewelry did too. All of this was done in an attempt to make myself more intimidating to those around me without me having to say a single word. It worked…perhaps a little _too_ well though.

              Fuku and some of her classmates were pouring over their notes and textbooks in an empty classroom. Their professor sat at the desk grading papers, occasionally answering questions. _What a kind professor…_ The students seemed a little frazzled, and there was apparently a big test coming up. _Now…how am I going to get Fuku’s attention without making a total ass of myself…?_

              I then tripped because of the uneven floor. There were “steps” to provide an almost coliseum like effect in the classroom that weren’t easily noticed. My hand slammed down on a nearby row of desks to catch myself. My ankle screamed in protest when it lightly twisted in the wrong direction, and all in all, my body raced with adrenaline due to the near accident.

              “Huh? Who are you?” The professor stood up immediately.

              “Ahem.” I cleared my throat and straightened up, “I’m-“

              “Oh my god!” The professor immediately began to freak out, “Miss NEWMORE!? In my classroom?”

              _Oh….you know me…Maybe that’ll make this easier?_

              “Um…Hello. I’m here to pick Fuku up. Her cousin doesn’t want her out too late.” I looked at the green fire monster. She blushed a little at being singled out, but she also looked a little star struck, “I’m sorry for interrupting your study session.”

              The students assured me it was fine.

              “G actually sent _you_ to get me?” Fuku breathed, looking…excited?

              “He did. I was his last option though.” For some reason, I felt a blush of my own crawling up my face again. These young people were really starting to freak me out with the hero worship glowing in their eyes. The high standard they held me to caused me to burn with anxious energy.

              “I’ve been wanting to see about getting you to speak to my class actually.” The professor smoothly interjected, “You’re one of the most powerful figures in our area after all. I just didn’t know how to contact you since you…well…no longer have a secretary. I felt it would be rude to just call you randomly.”

              “It wouldn't be an issue unless I was in a meeting or something to that nature- e-mailing me is also an option.” I assured him, “I’m just your average business woman.”

              “Oh you most certainly are not! Not many people can take over a fresh company right out of the gate and make it profitable in less than a year. That, my dear, is talent.” The professor nodded along to what he was saying like it was a well understood fact, “We’d probably have more business majors here if we had teachers with experience like you.” He sighed, “If only…”

              “That would be so cool!” Fuku agreed, “Learning from people with hands on experience…it might make the whole process easier.” She giggled.

              “You’re struggling?” I raised a brow. _This could be a way I could indirectly help Grillby…._

              The students then began to explain to me how they weren’t grasping certain concepts well, and the professor was limited on how much he could help them. In the real world, no one would hold their hand. Thus, he was making an effort to not coddle them too much. The downside to that method was that they had to seek alternative resources to find answers, and- sometimes- those resources would be completely and utterly wrong.

              “Hey! Maybe you should teach us the lesson again!”

              _What?_

              Somehow…I ended up in front of the blackboard going over the lesson they were struggling with. My parents’ forcing me to earn a teaching degree definitely helped in that moment as I was bombarded with questions. They really were bright kids that enjoyed learning. They just needed a fresh voice to help them figure things out. The professor was impressed that I could teach, and he actually somewhat rejoiced when he learned that I had a valid teaching degree and license in our area.

              “Would you think of maybe acting as a tutor to our business majors?” He all but begged.

              “Uh….I’ll think about it. My schedule is really about to go through a loop in the next few months. I don’t know if I’ll have much time to spare….” I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly.

              “Of course. Of course. Please, take your time. Though…I can assure that the dean would love to have another teacher here if you ever felt like joining us academics.” He was trying so hard to sell me that idea.

              I made a noncommittal noise and all but dragged Fuku out of there. She practically skipped behind me as we left the building and made our way across campus. Surprisingly, she was rather quiet. She had been chatty in the classroom, so I knew that she could speak human very well. I glanced over once or twice and caught her ogling me. She blushed bright green and looked away.

              “Sorry…I’m just…you’re….You’re my hero.” She looked up at me with the innocent eyes only a teenager could have.

              _My heart feels like it’s being sucked into a vacuum._

_Stop being cute dammit._

_It should be illegal for walking, talking, humanoid shaped bundles of fire to be this adorable._

              “I don’t believe I really qualify for something like that. I’m just a normal woman.” I assured her, slowing down some to force her to walk beside me, “You don’t have to treat me like I’m on some kind of pedestal. Your cousin and I are friends- remember?”

              “I still can’t believe it though…My cousin- my _dorky_ cousin- is friends with _the_ Nadia Newmore. I’ve almost asked him to get me your autograph.” Fuku’s blush persisted despite her best efforts to calm down.

              _Well…this is…interesting._

              “Will you come back?” Fuku asked me suddenly.

              “Come back?” I cocked my head.

              “Here…you don’t even really have to be a teacher or a tutor. Just having you here would seriously make everyone so happy.” Fuku gave me a look that screamed “puppy dog eyes” while pouting a little bit, “You’re someone we actually study!”

              _Do I…actually have a…fan club?_

              “I’ll think about it Fuku. Like I told your professor, things are going to get complicated for me during the next few months. If I have the time, I’ll see about returning. _If I have the time._ ” I told her firmly. Her pout turned into a frown, but she didn’t argue with me. Instead, she reluctantly nodded and murmured something along the lines of “I understand”. I felt like I had kicked a dog, “I’m a very busy person Fuku. As much as I would love to be able to help you and your classmates all of the time, I just don’t know if I have the time….” She was still frowning. _Gaaahhh. I won’t be indirectly helping Grillby at all at this rate._ “…How about you and your friends in your study group can e-mail me questions? I could help with that.”

              She brightened up within _nanoseconds._

              “Really!?” She brimmed with bubbly optimism, “Like…Really really? No lie?”

              “No lie.” I echoed.

              “Ohmystars! Thank you so much.” She tackle hugged me…

              _SHE TACKLE HUGGED ME._

              _What sorcerery is this? I don’t appreciate my feelings being messed with so much. It’s not fun fate. It really- REALLY isn’t._

              “Aha…umm…Fuku?” I patted her back awkwardly, grateful that the impact hadn’t snapped my heels, “We um…should…ah…hit the road.”

              “Oh! I’m sorry.” Fuku released me like I had begun to burn her, “I’m just so happy. Thank-you! So much!”

              “You already said that.” I fixed my tie before continuing to walk, “Now come on, we should get you back to your house before it gets too late. Grillby will worry otherwise.”

              “Bah. G really needs to learn to loosen up some. I’m not just going to trip and dust myself.”  Fuku reminded me a lot of Copper and Babylon in that moment, “He can’t protect me from everything.”

              “He’s going to try though. You’re family. Family is one of the most important things a person has.” I reached out and patted her head, “Appreciate it. You never know when things’ll change- death, illness, bad blood. Unless you’ve got an omnipotent monster on speed dial, you don’t know what life will throw at you. I will say that he shouldn’t hover _so_ much however.”

              _He does tend to be a bit overprotective, but I suppose losing a loved one to violence would make anyone hyperaware of what their other loved ones were doing._

              “He actually followed me to a frat party once.” Fuku made an annoyed face. I looked over at her and raised my brow, “What?”

              “Last time I checked…frats at this university weren’t allowed to invite girls under the age of 21 to their parties because even the water is spiked.” A small smile grew on my lips when she realized her blunder and began to all but beg me to not tell her cousin or campus officials. I knew that I probably _should_ have done it, but well….she looked rather pitiable in that moment.

              Fuku continued to talk my ear off the entire ride back to her house. She- thankfully- wasn’t the annoying kind of chatter box that made me want to rip my hair out. In fact, Fuku had more than one well-developed opinion on a multitude of topics. One of the things we had the biggest discussion about was how realistic it was for her to continue with a business degree. Monsters still struggled to find jobs outside of science, bitty, and medical related fields, so she worried about whether she’d be able to support herself or not.

              “I don’t want to burden G forever.” Fuku sighed, looking like she might do the fire monster version of crying, “It’s bad enough that we’re already so deep in debt….”

              “Is it that bad?” My checkbook was calling out to me.

              “Oh…you’ll see soon enough. Turn right here.”

              “But this is the…”

              _Poor, POOR side of town…_

_**Grillby, I will ask my sister to kick you so hard your balls disappear into your asshole at this rate.**_

Sure enough, Fuku’s words rang true. They lived in an apartment that would make Josephine’s oldest pigsty of an apartment look like a mansion. My blood pressure had risen enough that I had to pull over a little bit sooner to get my heart back under control. My hands trembled against the wheel, and Fuku looked ready to call an ambulance.

              “I’m fine darling.” I patted her head again before reaching down and grabbing my checkbook, “How much is your college tuition?”

              “What?” Fuku blinked.

              “Your college tuition. How much is it? Oh whatever…I’ll give you some random amount. Use the rest to buy what you need for college.” I quickly wrote out a five figure number that came to mind and handed her the check.

              “That’s a lot of money!” Fuku tried to hand me the check back, “I honestly can’t take thi-“

              “Your cousin is probably the only friend I have in this world. Take it.” I clamped my hands down around hers, “I can’t think of another way to pay him back, and I’m terrible at the whole “emotions” thing. Money is the only way I know how to repay favors and kindness. I have a lot of it, so _take it._ ”

              _I might be getting a promotion anyways._

              It took some convincing to get Fuku to exit my car with the check in hand. She stared at it- completely dazed- as she stumbled her way up to their apartment. I watched and made sure that she made it inside before I left. Grillby would probably try and return the check as well, but Newmore women weren’t notorious for being big, soft, pushovers. I’d fight him tooth and nail on that.

              _Sans will back me up on this….hopefully. I honestly don’t know how he feels about me right now._

              He’d been rather distant with me for most of our relationship as pseudo (now actual) in-laws. He didn’t outwardly hate me most days. He didn’t outwardly act like I was the sister he never had either. Thus, I could never quite tell where I stood with him, and I couldn’t tell if his apathy was a good thing or not.  He did seem more than a little protective of Grillby though….

              My phone blew up with text messages from Grillby as I got home. Most of them were annoyed- some angry- about the donation. He kept insisting that that kind of money could go to help people who really needed it or go to a charity or to basically anyone else. I let most of it build up until he seemed to tire himself out.

              I thought long and hard about my response as I walked into the lobby of my apartment building. Finally, I typed:

              **Nadia:** Deal with it. I’m not taking the money back, and if you give it someone else, I’ll keep giving them to you until you finally accept them. You worry about other people all of the time- help them too. Let me do this one thing for you- please. It means a lot more to me than just a check.

              He didn’t respond for a while after that.

              I made my way back to my apartment and looked around for my bitties. I- of course- couldn’t find any of them. Even Saphenous was painfully absent. It was also a bit creepy how easy it was for them to just up and disappear. I could probably move out of the apartment and leave them there for the next resident to discover, and no one would be the wiser until they got hungry.

              My phone buzzed on the coffee table.

              **Grillby:** Fine.

              **Grillby:** Just this once though. I MEAN IT. Don’t make a habit out of this.

              _When you say things like that, it just makes me want to spoil you more you know._


	26. From Everything to Nothing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> ...this was supposed to be fluff dammit- FLUFF. How did it turn angsty at the end DX Ah well...one more fwuffy chapter before we get into the real meat of this story's plotline.
> 
> Also, I was planning on doing a psued for NSFW material, but then I looked it up and learned that it will have my username in ( ) despite the fact I would want that pen name and my username completely separate. Guess I'm stuck with only the occasional NSFW thing because I want to try and keep this area of my writing- MOSTLY- PG-13. How lovely *please pick up on the pile of salt I just dropped there* I can understand that they don't want someone taking on another person's username as a pseud and acting like them (or confusion among readers), but there has to be another way to do it. Maybe have (pseud) instead of (their username) so the readers know that the penname isn't connected to the username or something else instead. It's just frustrating really. I don't want to orphan anything I write, and I don't want to make a whole new e-mail and account just to write darker material. Gaahh....*frustrated kiss goes off to continue working*

              My bitties quietly crawled out of the woodworks as days progressed. The first to really return to my side on a more permanent basis was Saphenous. He yawned and looked more than a little sated after doing who knows what during that period of time. Adonis and Copper came after him.

              “How are you feeling?” I raised Copper’s chin to check his neck. One of his spinal disks had been bothering him, so I worried that sex might’ve aggravated the injury further, “Not too sore?”

              “of course i’m sore. i just had this jackass’s dick in me for four days straight pretty much.” Copper snorted, “my neck isn’t killing me though. thanks for asking.”

              “I did not need that mental image.” A blush lit my face up. Let out an annoyed cluck of my tongue, I bent down and pressed a kiss to the top of his head, “I’m glad that your neck isn’t hurting anymore though.”

              “ **huh…always thought blondie would ride your mouth too….guess i was wrong.** ”  Saphenous yawned from where he dozed on my shoulder.

              “what kind of twisted fantasies do you have running around in that head of yours!” Copper shook his fist at the apathetic bloodyberry.

              “ **….that has to be rhetorical question…** ” Saphenous stared blankly at him, “ **or am i missing some kind of social cue here…** ”

              “Saphenous, you rarely notice the cues to begin with.” Adonis sighed, gently wrapping Copper in a hug, “Please don’t work him up so much Saphenous. It’s not good for his magic to keep getting so volatile so often.”

              My coffee pot alerted me that the coffee was done. I grabbed a mug and poured myself some while Adonis coaxed Copper into sitting down on a tin and Saphenous thought about something.

              “ **you get him pregnant?** ” Saphenous cocked his head. I choked on my coffee and began to wheeze a little bit through my laughter.

              “…..” Copper’s eye twitched in a way that made me honestly worry for his health a little bit, “i’m gonna kill you…”

              “No Saphenous.” Adonis rubbed his temples and let out a slow sigh, “Copper’s spine couldn’t handle carrying a child. I’m afraid you’ll have to get your kicks elsewhere.”

              “ **hmmm….i’ll just steal the tablet later.** ”

              “Wait…are you the one who constantly steals it?” I  grabbed the bloodyberry by his waist and held him in front of my face. He looked at me like an unamused puppy looking ready to bite.

              “ **perhaps.** ” He said noncommittally.

              “Saphenous Vein!” I slammed my mug down on the counter to shake my finger at him, “You’re the reason why I’ve had to buy two of the damn things in the past few weeks aren’t you? You need to tell me when you borrow it and always make sure that I get it back!” He clawed me, “Don’t think a bit of lost flesh and muscle will intimidate me mister. It’ll take more than that to get me to shut up- as you should know by this point.”

              Copper had a demented grin on his face as the bloodyberry had to endure the full brunt of my nagging. I rarely ever had to get onto my bitties for anything, but two of my tablets had gone missing, and the third had come back with a crack down the middle of the screen. Usually, I’d be more forgiving of it since it was just a piece of technology. The issue was that they were company tablets. _I’m going to owe Berken some money after this nonsense._

              “oooiii…” Julius hissed as he stumbled into the kitchen looking more than a little disgruntled, “shut the fuck up. my head feels like a sledgehammer’s having a field day with it.”

              “Told you that you should’ve eaten some monster candy.” Sparta yawned. Bags hung low under her eyes, “The kid and the jackass still out?”

              “We haven’t seen them this morning.” Adonis shrugged one of his shoulders, “Who knows when they’ll decide to join us again.”

              “better be soon, or i’m gonna break more than just cesar’s legs.” Copper mumbled into his hand.

              “No breaking some of Cesar’s bones.” I put Saphenous back on my shoulder and shot a warning look at Copper, “Babylon is capable of making his own decisions.”

              Copper stuck his tongue out at me.

              “You two made it through alright?” Adonis spoke a little louder than normal to draw attention away from our argument.

              “Yeah. Wasn’t that bad.” Sparta scratched her stomach, revealing some bruising the size of Julius’s hands. Upon closer inspection I realized that Julius had a few scratches on the back of his head and neck that more than likely contributed to his head ache. It was obvious that the two didn’t really care about each other in a romantic way though. Describing them as “fuck buddies” fit better than “lovers” since I knew that the two mostly irritated the hell out of each other, “Fucking thirsty though. Gimme some of that coffee.”

              “You could ask politely first.” I raised a brow.

              “Bitch, give me some coffee.” Sparta repeated in a sickly sweet voice. I rolled my eyes and grabbed one of the bitty mugs from the  cabinet, “Fuck you very much.”

              “Such behavior is reprehensible Sparta.” Adonis’s voice had gone quiet and taken on a firm quality. Sparta tensed and looked up at where the fireroyal stared down at her with more than a little impaitence burning in his eyes, “We apologize when we behave rudely do we not?” He cocked his head and bared his fangs just a little bit.

              “Sorry bitch.” Sparta stretched her arms out and tucked her hands behind her head. Adonis’s eyes narrowed it.

              “It’s fine Sparta. I’ve gotten used to it at this point.” I handed her and Julius- who I knew would demand coffee at some point that morning- their mugs of coffee before turning my attention to my refrigerator, “Now…what are we going to have for breakfast….We aren’t going into work today, so we can actually have decent food….”

              “Might I make a recommendation?” Adonis walked over to me.

              “Of course.” I nodded and offered him my hand to stand on. Prim and proper, he never lost his balance on the palm of my hand as I held him up to examine the contents of the refrigerator, “I’m honestly lacking in the inspiration department right now…”

              Adonis and I slowly began to make a decent breakfast. Saphenous eventually grew bored with all of us and wandered off to go hunting rats and/or mice within the apartment. Julius and Sparta sat on our toaster (for some reason on another) to have some sort of private conversation. Copper watched Adonis and I work with weary, slightly affectionate eyes. Such a slow morning left me feeling more than a little discombobulated, but it also left a warmth in my chest I didn’t know I was lacking. A person who usually lives a life of “go go go go go” doesn’t really know what to do with “slow slow” instead.

              “MOTHER?” Cesar rounded the corner into the kitchen.

              “Well, look who finally decided to join us!” Sparta called down mockingly, “How ya doing cradle snatcher.”

              “Sparta please…” Babylon sighed poking his head around Cesar’s body, “Not this early in the morning.”

              Sparta sipped her coffee with a silent, smug smile on her face.

              “Are you both feeling well?” I kept the stove in my peripheral as I turned to face them, “You were starting to worry me a little bit.”

              “BABYLON SLEPT IN MORE THAN I EXPECTED.” Cesar explained, rubbing his arm. Babylon blushed bright pink.

              “Sorry.” He sighed. Seeing my look of confusion, he added, “I was sleeping on top of his arm, so it’s a little numb.”

              “Oh.” I smiled just a little bit.

              “babylon.” Copper struggled to stand up. Adonis made a low noise of disapproval that Copper chose to ignore, “how are you feeling? how many of his bones do i need to break?”

              “Preferably none!” Babylon’s once innocent blush deepened into an annoyed shad of violet, “It’s not like he just grabbed me off the floor and did as he pleased you know! I’m also not a kid.”

              “that’s more than a little debatable.” Copper argued.

              “No it isn’t.” Babylon fumed, melting the plastic ‘wooden’ floors a little bit, “Seriously Dad. Leave him alone. I mean it.”

              “You also need to sit down.” I poked the top of Copper’s head, forcing him to sit back down again, “You’re going to hurt yourself at this rate.”

              “i’m not an invalid.” Copper protested.

              “THAT’S MORE THAN A LITTLE DEBATABLE.” Cesar shot back, rolling his eyes at Copper, “YOU ARE ONE OF THE MOST INFURIATING FOOLS I THINK I’VE EVER MET.”

              “right back at you.” Copper growled.

              “Fight?” Sparta cocked her head.

              “ten bucks on the jackass downing the cripple.” Julius nudged Sparta with his foot.

              “I don’t make bets I can’t keep.” Sparta kicked him back with a sly grin on her face, “Nice try though.”

               “excuse me?” Copper whipped his head round to glare at them.

              “Oh great.” Babylon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and making an exasperated expression, “Lovely. Just the way I needed this morning to start.”

              “Did you honestly expect anything else?” I blinked at the young bitty owlishly.

              “Call me a fool if you’d like, but I had honestly hoped they’d all still be too tired from the heat to do much so early.” Babylon walked over to me and leaned against my leg, “How were you while we were all preoccupied?”

              “Busy mostly. All of my work is being scrutinized more harshly since I’m up as an option for the promotion. I also decided to offer my services to a class of business majors who are more than happy to drown me with their questions.” I tasted the eggs to make sure that they were coming out right. I wished that I had paid more attention during those breakfast-centric culinary classes in that moment when they were more than a little bland, “I’ve also been speaking with Grillby about what we’re going to do for Josephine’s wedding.”

              “Oh yeah…that’s happening in a few weeks yeah?” Sparta looked at me, “Do we have to dress up again?”

              “Yes.” I told her flatly, “But this time you can act as rowdy as you like.”

              _Mostly because if you do anything too terrible Idjit will body slam you into the ground hard enough to knock your fangs out of place._

              “DOES GRILLBY WANT TO TRAVEL WITH US THEN?” Cesar asked, moving to stand beside me as well. I had to be extremely vigilant of how he and Babylon moved to lower the risk of stepping on one of them.

              “The opposite actually. He’s still very upset about me giving Fuku the funds she needs for college…He doesn’t want to impose on my further or something like that.” _Which is completely and utterly ridiculous._

              “You did what?” Adonis almost dropped the pepper shaker.

              “Oh…I did forget to fill you all in I guess.” I tried the eggs after Adonis finished tweaking them. They tasted much better, “Well….”

              My bitties just stared at me blankly as I recounted my visit to Fuku’s college and my ultimate decision to give her the funds she needed to get through school without dragging herself or Grillby in further debt. I made sure to inform them about the terrible conditions Grillby was living in as well. By the end of it they were….laughing?

              “I don’t see the humor in this situation. Would someone care to explain?” My lips curled downwards slightly.

              “you sound like a nagging wife.” Copper snickered.

              _Warm lips pressed against mine briefly, searing my lips for only a second._

              I did actually drop the salt shaker that time around as a blush exploded across my face and down my neck.

              “I….most certainly do not!” I bent down to begin cleaning up the spilled salt, “You are all capable of spinning such wonderful stories to yourselves.”

              “Is she actually blushing?” Sparta gawked.

              “what did we miss?” Julius cocked his head.

              “ **huh…**?” Saphenous dragged in a dead rat, “ **missed what?** ”

              “why nadia’s getting all huffy over us comparing her to a nagging housewife when it comes to grillby.” Copper explained.

              “ **oh. that’s because he kissed you right**?”

              The salt shaker actually broke that time.

              “How did you see that….?” My voice took on a maddened edge.

              “ **i wandered back into the bedroom chasing a rat and saw it.** ” He shrugged, “ **didn’t really seem like that much of a big deal.** ”

              My other bitties were having a field day with that though.

              _Josephine is a “skele-fucker”. Olivia is a “goatman-fucker”. Now, I’m a “flame-fucker.”_

_Someone save me from this madness._

              I ended up locking myself in the bathroom with my laptop avoid more of their jabs. They tried to get me to open the door on more than one occasion, but I firmly resisted by keeping my back pressed against the door. Saphenous actually poked me a couple of times under the crack of the door. Then I “dropped” a candle onto his fingers.

              “ **you’re mean when you’re cranky.** ” Saphenous complained through the door.

              “Do you know someone who isn’t?” Babylon asked him before returning to his attempts to try and get me out, “Nadia…Come on….It was just some light hearted ribbing….”

              “For you perhaps.” My voice came out laced with venom.

              Memories of my past relationship with Edgar slammed down on my hard enough that my fingers wavered over my keyboard. My trembling hands slowly formed shaking fists as I tried my best to calm myself down. Edgar was out of my life, but the scars our “picture perfect” marriage left on my mind were far from gone. If only there was a chance I could find an actual loving relationship to enjoy love for a change. Instead, I found myself stuck in a hollow pit of loneliness trying to piece the remains of my soul back together.

              “I don’t get happy endings.” I mumbled pathetically, “It’s just not in my cards I guess.”

              “There’s no need to think that way.” Babylon protested, rapping on the door to get my attention, “If you want a happy ending, take it already.”

              “Last time I checked only villains took things in stories.” I called back, “I’m far from a hero.”

              “True.” I flinched as Babylon agreed, “You’re more of an anti-hero in all honesty. Don’t try to out book talk me. I have to listen to Adonis sing his books praises every day, so I actually know what I’m talking about. Come on Nadia. I really don’t want to have this conversation through a door.”

              Reluctantly, I scooted away from the door and opened it for the two of them.

              They peered inside and cocked their heads up at me.

              “What? It gets lonely in a tiny room when you’re by yourself. Now get in here, so I can lock the others out.” I crooked my index finger in a ‘come here’ motion.

              “ **you do know julius can technically just teleport in here right**?” Saphenous mused as I closed the door once more.

              “He’d have to care about me enough to expend the energy first.” I let out a dry chuckle at the idea the surly edgy would ever do anything so caring for me, “Come on. Settle down. I need to try and convince Grillby to simply hitch a ride with me instead of taking a bus all the way to Grayridge. I also want him to let me pay for the hotel rooms….We’ll be there two and half days before the wedding.”

              “ **what? why**?” Saphenous frowned.

              “It’s our job- mine as Josephine’s relative, Grillby’s as Sans’s best man- to go help them set everything up. We also need to make sure Josephine’s dress still fits despite the baby weight.” I elaborated.

              “That sounds very dull.” Babylon sighed.

              “Oh it will be. From what I hear though, Tyrone’s putting together a lovely reception for her.” I snorted when I added, “Josephine’s decided that she doesn’t want a maid-of-honor, but Olivia’s been insistent that the bridesmaids need someone to call the shots. Thus, Tyrone has been deemed her man-of-honor instead.”

              “ **is he going to wear a dress**?” Saphenous purred when I began to scratch under his chin.

              “I most certainly hope not.” The image alone made me cringe. He was one of the most respected men in Grayridge, so I sincerely hoped that he wouldn’t do something so ridiculous just to make my sister laugh, “There’s no telling with my sister’s friends however…”

              “Are you a bridesmaid?” Babylon asked.

              “I don’t know…” I shrugged, “Probably not.”

              It really didn’t matter. I hadn’t been asked the first time around. I never asked her to be part of my wedding party. We really didn’t- despite our recent efforts- have that kind of relationship yet. I would more than likely be sitting with the rest of their audience instead of standing beside Olivia and the rest of Josephine’s bridesmaids.

              “Does that hurt?” Babylon’s face screwed up with concern.

              “Not really.” I shrugged, “I never expected to be one in the first place.”

              _How strange._

_I went from being the woman who expected everything to the woman who expects nothing…._

_How pathetic is that?_

              I found myself laughing none-the-less.


	27. Early Morning Surprises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1

              I cannot remember what time it was when Babylon began to bite my hand in order to wake me up. When I first began to slowly pull myself out of the haze of alpha waves drowning me, I noted how odd it was to see him in my bedroom so early in the morning. Typically, Babylon fretted over his father with Adonis for about an hour or so.

              “Babylon?” Checking the time and date on my digital clock told me that  it was early in the morning of the day I needed to drag Grillby into my car and head to Grayridge, “Is something wrong?”

              “Can you take me to the CC?” Babylon’s hand fidgeted anxiously.

              _The…CC…The Bitty CC…The **Bitty Care Center?**_

              I sat up rather quickly and rubbed the remains of sleep from my eyes. Babylon wilted a little bit when my gaze fell on top of his shoulders. Finally aware of my surroundings, I could see how anxious he was. His shoulders quivered with anxiety, and he kept grinding his teeth.

              “Babylon.” I picked him up. His anxious warmth almost burned my hand, “What’s wrong?”

              He bit his hand while he thought about it.

              “Babylon.” I sighed, “I’m going to get Cesar or Copper at this rate.”

              He actually did burn me that time- on accident though.

              “No! Don’t tell them about this! Not…not yet anyways.” Babylon scratched the back of his neck. Finally, he tugged up the bottom of his shirt.

              It took me a couple of seconds to notice the issue. His chest was made of flames that slowly trailed down to his exposed pelvic bone, but there was a soft bulge in what should’ve been the empty space in between. My mind went blank as I tried to process what that little bulge could be. Then it clicked in my mind.

              “Are you pregnant?” My voice actually came out a little breathless.

              “I don’t know… I could be….I can’t read it myself, and I don’t trust any of the others to blab or mess with me about it.” Babylon let his shirt drop and began to scratch at the back of his neck again, “It’s normal for ejaculate to stick for a couple of days after a heat finishes. It’s like concrete in all honesty until it starts to chip. The issue is…if it was just that….it should be gone by now.”

              “Have you not told any of the others about it? Cesar has the right to know.” I frowned at him.

              “I’m scared!” He practically exploded in my face, “You don’t get it Nadia. I’m already a risky hybrid. I don’t fucking know what’s about to happen….I don’t know….This could kill me. I could have a miscarriage. It could be born horribly disfigured….” Babylon sank down into a sitting position. Tears from his skeleton eye burned his flaming face as he tried his best to piece himself back together, “I don’t know. I don’t know at all….How is Cesar going to react? Holy shit my dad’s going to lose his goddamn mind….”

              “Oh Babylon.” I pulled him close and let him fret into my chest for a couple of minutes. He had to have been mulling over this the past few days for him to blow up in my face so readily, “It’s okay… We’ll go to the CC and find out. Shh…calm down.”

              Since we needed to slip out before any of the others woke-up and tried to accompany us, I dressed down- way down. Most people probably wouldn’t have been able to recognize me as Nadia Newmore in the simply gray dress and flats I wore. I didn’t bother with make-up and hid my hair under a cute hat I had. We left a note for the others to find in the kitchen before slipping out into the hallway without alerting anyone. Babylon was sitting on one of my arms with the other held protectively in front of him.

              “Good.” I sighed in relief once we were on our way to the elevators, “They probably would’ve stuck to us like glue otherwise….I swear they can sense distress.”

              “Some of us actually can.” Babylon mumbled into my arm, “Just depends….”

              “Huh.” I thought about it as we rode the elevator down, “Ours would probably just use it to harass people.”

              “More than likely.” Babylon agreed, finally cracking a small smile during our chaotic early morning escape.

              Babylon and I didn’t fill the tension between us with awkward chatter after that. We simply made our way towards the BCC. Like I suspected would happen, nobody recognized me as Nadia Newmore without the classic black and red ensemble I was essentially known for by that point. The CC was dead when we stepped inside. The blob monster- who’s name I learned to be Jarrod- looked up from the morning newspaper and blinked a couple of times.

              “Miss…Newmore…?” He raised a brow.

              “Good morning Jarrod.” I approached the counter.

              “You…look different than usual…special occasion?” He cocked his head.

              “Just had to hurry this morning. Babylon needs to you to take a look at him.” I explained. Jarrod worked as both the head bitty tech and secretary. Bitties weren’t popular- well popular legally- in Greenridge. Thus, there was no point in having too many workers. Jarrod- despite being utterly terrifying and creepy to look at- actually was a pretty decent individual, “He thinks that he might be pregnant.”

              “Sure. Lift your shirt.” Jarrod bent down to level his eyes with Babylon, “No point in taking you to a back room just for that.”

              Babylon lifted his shirt up. Jarrod’s eye exploded with colors that flickered in and out in intervals that would send anyone with epilepsy into a seizure. He made soft noises while slowly rotating 180 degrees around Babylon’s front before coming to a decision.

              “He is.” Jarrod blinked his eye a couple of times until they went back to that sickly shade of yellow, “One offspring. Seems pretty healthy in all honesty…might have a fucked up face, but well…” Jarrod pointed to Babylon’s face, “He’s not exactly normal to begin with. Everything else looks completely stable though- two arms, two legs, full torso. The grillbitty magic is being contained within the bones though, so expect random cracks in his bones where flames will exit to breath. Again, that’ll probably mostly be his head.”

              “He’ll be healthy though…right?” Babylon asked quietly, tugging his shirt back down.

              “Should be yeah. It’ll kind of be like you little man. He won’t notice any of the issues because that’s what he’s going to be born with. Won’t be like he knew anything else to compare it to.” Jarrod shrugged, “That all you guys needed? If so, no point in charging you.” He yawned.

              “It was. Though we should probably buy some of the things the baby will need…” I looked towards the shelves of bitty supplies and looked back at Jarrod, “Any tips?”

              “…” Jarrod sighed before stepping out from behind the counter, “Come on…this’ll take forever otherwise.”

              Babylon appeared stuck in a slightly catatonic state. His hand kept drifting to his abdomen and reaching under his shirt to touch the hard swell that would grow up his spine and distend forward over time. He wasn’t very responsive to our questions when we tried to get his opinion on things, but Jarrod and I eventually gathered up enough items to fill a small box. I slid Jarrod a $10 bill as an under the table way of thanking him for helping me. He winked at me and tucked the bill into his pocket before putting the rest of the cash in the cash register.

              “Babylon.” I prodded the bitty quietly while we were walking home, “Babylon.”

              “Yes?” He finally looked up at me.

              “How are you feeling now?” I shifted the box to rest more comfortably under my arm.

              “Nervous still….honestly…still a bit scared, but….” Babylon looked down at his abdomen again, “Is it wrong that I feel a little bit happy knowing that he’s going to be fine? I mean…just look at Lace for an example of worst thing to ever happen to bitty offspring….How do you think Cesar’s going to react?”

              “I have no idea.” Cesar had been fascinated by Greyson when I was pregnant, but I didn’t know if the same enamored curiosity would apply to a baby that was his, “Let’s tell him first though. He’s the donor parent.”

              “Alright…” Babylon’s voice shook a little, “I know you’re right…I’m just anxious. I could honestly throw up right now.”

              “Please don’t do that sweetheart.” The endearment slipped out before I could stop it. Babylon didn’t seem to mind though. Instead of getting annoyed, he leaned back against my chest and tried his best to calm down. I could tell him for sure that everything would be alright. Fortune telling had never really been my strong suit, but I could tell him, “I’ll be behind you every step of the way Babylon.”

              “Thank you.” He smiled up at me sadly.

              “MOTHER. BABYLON.” Cesar was the first to greet us when we stepped inside, “THERE YOU ARE. WE FOUND YOUR NOTE THIS MORNING. IT WAS QUITE THE ODD EXPERIENCE. WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND GET?”

              Babylon turned a nervous shade of lilac.

              “Cesar, come with me to my bedroom please.” I asked the boss. Cesar cocked his head, but followed, “This is a conversation we need to have in private with you.”

              “IS SOMETHING WRONG?” Cesar asked as I closed the door behind him. I sat down in front of the door and gingerly helped Babylon find his footing. Seeing the disheveled anxious sate that Babylon was in, Cesar immediately stepped forward and put his hands on the hybrid’s shoulders, “BABYLON? ARE YOU INJURED? WHY ARE YOU TREMBLING? IS HE ILL MOTHER? SHOULD WE TAKE HIM TO THE CC?”

              “We just got back from there actually.” I looked down at Babylon, telling him with my eyes that _he_ needed to be the one to tell Cesar. It would be wrong for me to step in and tell him something that he needed to hear from Babylon.

              “Cesar…” Babylon’s soft voice caught his attention. Cesar bent down a little bit to meet Babylon’s gaze directly.

              “WHAT IS WRONG BABYLON?” Cesar blinked in surprise when Babylon’s hand grabbed one of his wrists, “BABYLON?”

              Babylon brought Cesar’s hand down to his abdomen and brought it up his shirt. Cesar felt around a little bit with a frown on his face. Slowly, realization spread across his face and his other hand dropped to pull the shirt up. He stared at the bulge for a couple of seconds, unblinking.

              “OURS?” Cesar asked softly. Babylon nodded, looking ready to panic again at how stoic Cesar was being.

              Babylon and I both got a rather pleasant surprise when Cesar lunged forward and picked him up into a hug. Babylon let out a shocked and amused squeak when he was spun around briefly. Cesar put his feet back on the ground, but he didn’t release his hold on the hybrid. Instead, he trailed kisses down his throat and nuzzled his head against Babylon’s.

              “You’re happy?” Babylon squeezed him close with his one arm.

              “YES.” Cesar pulled back just enough to give him a deep kiss. I held my hand over my eyes.

              “Please remember you have an audience that doesn’t desire front row seats to “first round of pregnancy sex.”

              ….

              That wasn’t my voice.

              I looked over and saw Sparta and Julius poking their heads out of my…underwear drawer…

              “What on earth are you doing in _there_ of all places!?” I stood up lighting quick.

              “What…your silk panties are nice to nap on.” Sparta yawned.

              “holy shit he actually knocked the kid up.” Julius began to laugh, “oh copper’s going to lose his goddamn mind over this shit. holy fuck…ha.”

              “SILENCE YOU OVERWEIGHT IMBECILE.” One of Cesar’s bones cracked Julius across the back of the head. He kept one hand around Babylon’s waist, the other held up to deflect any attack Julius threw his way or to attack the edgy once more, “YOU’RE INTENTIONALLY TRYING TO ANTAGONIZE BABYLON AND I RIGHT NOW.  CAN YOU NOT SEE HOW VISIBLY DISTRESSED HE IS OVER THIS? YOU DO NO NEED TO ADD TO HIS PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW.”

              “excuse me?” Julius fumed.

              “Hey, lay off a little Ju.” Sparta tugged on the hood of his hoodie, “He’s got a point. The kid looks ready to pass out- give ‘im a break. We’ve got three months to bug the fuck out of them over this.”

              “YOU WILL NOT CAUSE HIM UNDO STRESS WHILE HE IS WITH CHILD.” Cesar growled.

              “watcha gonna do about it bud?” Julius stuck his tongue out at him.

              “Enough!” I snapped, clapping my hands, “You’re all agitating Babylon’s condition right now. We can discuss this when he doesn’t look ready to hurl.”

              “ready to hurl?” Copper’s voice came through the door. Quickly, the door swung open with Saphenous dangling from the handle, “baby? what’s wrong? did that jackass do something to you?” Copper moved much faster than I thought he would to knock Cesar away from his son, “how many places do i need to hurt him in?”

              “Nowhere!” Babylon sighed, the familiar frustration bubbling out, “He hasn’t hurt me.”

              “you’re trembling…” Copper gently caught Babylon’s face, “what’s wrong?”

              Cesar let out a pained groan when Saphenous nudged his prone form on the ground. _Apparently Copper’s hits are still as heavy as they used to be- even if they aren’t as quick._ Sparta and Julius were having a riot in the drawer while Adonis merely observed the interactions between Babylon and Copper from a slight distance.

              “Um…Dad….I…uh…I’m pregnant.” Babylon finally let it out in a rush.

              Copper blinked a couple of times. His head snapped over in Cesar’s direction.

              “time for you to die like the men you’re named after.” Copper’s eyes became murderous. Adonis’s arms wrapped around his waist before he could move anywhere, “hey let me go adonis!”

              “You’re going to injure yourself.” Adonis chided him before looking over at Babylon, “Besides, you’ve upset Babylon.”

              True to the fireroyal’s words, Babylon looked ready to start crying again. He must’ve registered Copper’s anger as rejection of the baby.

              “oh no…nononononono…nooooooo…” Copper wriggled free of Adonis to pull Babylon into a hug, “i didn’t mean it like that baby- of course i didn’t. i just never expected you to end up…mated so young….” Copper ran a comforting hand up and down his son’s back, “i’m so happy for _you_. the obnoxious shit that got you into this condition can go burn in hell for all i care, but i’m so happy for you baby.”

              Babylon sagged in relief against his father and enjoyed the embrace.

              _Well….this most certainly was an interesting morning._

              “MMM…” Cesar pulled himself up and rubbed his sore ribs, “I HATE YOU SO MUCH COPPER.” He mumbled under his breath before looking up at me, “TODAY IS THE DAY WE HEAD TO GRAYRIDGE CORRECT?”

              “Yes.” I nodded.

              “We should finish up packing in that case….” Adonis eyed the father and son that were still quietly discussing things privately, “Let them have their moment. Sparta. Julius. I hope you’re ready to do some heavy lifting.”

              “What/whhhuuuttt?” The two peered out of the drawer to glare at the fireroyal. All it took was one, burning gaze to make the two of them shut up quickly.

              It only took us about thirty minutes to finish packing and eat a quick breakfast. I still had to get dressed properly, and during that time the bitties all decided to get an eyeful of Babylon’s abdomen.

              “It’s so tiny right now.” Sparta poked it.

              “it’s going to be at first.” Copper looked ready to punch the jaws if she kept poking his son, “the kid’s probably going to be on the small side from the looks of it though…it’s more spherical instead of oblong like it would be if it were larger…”

              “you can actually guess the heights?” Julius blinked at him.

              “i’ve seen my fair share of pregnant bitties.” A dark look crossed Copper’s eyes before he looked back down at his son, “so yeah, i can- kind of. this kid probably won’t top four inches. he must get it from mamba’s side of the family…”

              “Like Daddi?” Babylon cocked his head.

              “mamba was three and a half inches tall and lightening quick…so yeah…like daddi.” Copper mused.

              Cesar had been thrown into a wall at some point by an angry Copper again, so Saphenous was trying to tug the boss out of the hole he had created.

              “You guys.” I sighed, looking at them in their pajamas still, “You need to get ready…quit rubbing his stomach. You can grope it all you want in the car, but we still have to go get Grillby and Fuku before we hit the road.”

              “Yes Miss Nadia.” Adonis nodded politely before glaring at Sparta and Julius until they scampered off to go get dressed, “Please don’t throw Cesar again Copper. It’s not good for your back.”

              “i’ll do what i want to.” Copper puffed his cheeks out defiantly. Adonis squished them back together. The noise it made actually caused Babylon to giggle.

              _He looks so happy._ I smiled at the scene before focusing on applying my mascara perfectly.

              We were out of the door in record time. We also managed to tell Fuku we were on our way, so Grillby didn’t have enough time to escape to a bus. The fire elemental had been more than a little put out to have to “mooch” a ride off of me after my donation to his family.

              “Quit pouting.” I whispered under the sounds of Fuku cooing over Babylon because of his pregnancy. Grillby intentionally deepened his frown, “Your face is going to get stuck like that.” He blinked in shock before reaching his hands up to check his face. He let out the sound of my name followed by the crackling sound of annoyance, “What?” I reached out and pinched his cheek, “See? Its stuck like this.”

              He let out an exasperated noise before finally chuckling a little bit.

              _I hope the rest of this time off goes better. I don’t know how much more my heart can take right now._

              My bitties were happy at least. We were going to a happy event.

              Life was fine.

              Life was good.


	28. Happy Times Always....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> ahhh....*stretches out*....it finally happened :D

              “Nadia!” Olivia’s bright smile welcomed me when I stepped into the lobby.

              “ah shit…it’s the puppy.” Julius grumbled. Sparta raised her brow at him, “she’s really hyper and loud- bit on the dim side too.”

              “Careful pot, you shouldn’t throw names at the kettle.” Adonis chided him quietly before smiling at Olivia.

              The small three little forms in her hand caught my eye quickly. The small, child hybrids reminded me that one of her bitties had been pregnant at some point. _Right. Bitty pregnancies are much shorter than human ones. Of course they’d be born by now._

              “It’s so good to see you.” Olivia kissed my cheek, “We saw Grillby and Fuku come inside earlier, but you weren’t with them.” She pouted at me.

              “I had to make sure that my car was taken care of.” I explained, “Were Grillby and Fuku capable of getting to their rooms without any issues?”

              “Yup.” Olivia nodded, “Asgore was speaking with the concierge, so no one gave them any problems. Grillby’s on your floor by the way…” Olivia told me, winking at me, “Three doors down from your room.”

              _…_

_Which one of these little bastards told her._

              Cesar cleared his throat awkwardly and fixed his tie.

              “Anyway!” Olivia giggled, “You should go get your stuff up into your room. We need to help Sissy finish up her look for the wedding.” Olivia shifted all of the small bitty hybrids- one appeared to have eyes that never formed at all, one was perfectly fine, and the other had one good at least- into one hand and grabbed my suitcase with the other. She babbled on about how pretty Jo’s dress was as she led me to the concierge.

              “Maybe I should’ve let Copper throw you into the trash compactor.” I whispered to Cesar. He ducked his head a little bit, but a smug smile was on his face instead of a look of a regret, “How did you even find out? Wait…let me guess…” I cut a dark look upwards where Saphenous was blankly looking down at me, “A little blood stained bird told you didn’t he?”

              “you aren’t exactly subtle about it.” Julius snorted, “i think the only one who hasn’t seen it at this point is grillby himself.”

              “Not many people randomly give another person large sums of money.” Adonis added quietly.

              “I’m not that obvious about it, and that “large sum” of money was chump change compared to what I make working under Berken.” I grumbled, “I…I _am_ not that obvious right?”

              None of them agreed with me.

              “Bitch, it’s obvious you want to ride the volcano. Quit denying it.” Sparta snorted, crossing her arms, “You sound like a kid denying the fact they have a crush.”  

              “You don’t have to make it sound so crass.” I mumbled before having to a staff member about getting my room.

              Olivia didn’t touch the topic of Grillby while she helped me up to my room.

              “By the way, we’re leaving the bitties with the guys if you want to leave yours with them too.” Olivia sat my suitcase down by my bed, “It’s going to be a girl’s night….” Olivia looked at Sparta, “I guess that means she could come if she wanted.”

              “And watch you coo over pwetty lace dwesses?” Sparta batted her eyelashes at Olivia mockingly before spitting out, “Not a chance in hell.”

              “A simple no would’ve sufficed.” Olivia shot back, frowning at the jaws, “I should probably warn the guys that your new bitty is a total cunt. It’d be a shame if she got dusted because they weren’t careful enough….but well…you never know…”

              My bitties stared at Olivia in actual horror as she left the room, leaving the blatant threat behind.

              “I thought you said she was _nice_.” Sparta looked up at me.

              “She is. Most of the time.” I shrugged, “I guess you stepped on a nerve…Then again, she’s always hated it when people called her superficial. Maybe she interpreted your jab as something along those lines.”

              “MOTHER, WILL YOU BE LEAVING US WITH SANS AND THE OTHERS?” Cesar asked. I could see that he was already dreading having to be in the same area as Idjit.

              “Of course not. You lot are capable of taking care of yourselves and staying out of trouble right?” I helped them all get down and settle on the bed. The bitties all showed some sign of agreement, “Then why would I give you over to a glorified baby sitter?”

              “GOOD.” Cesar sighed in relief.

              “Adonis is in charge though.” I added.

              “what?” Julius whined, “thought we _didn’t_ need a babysitter.”

              “You don’t need a babysitter.” I agreed, “You need a referee.” I looked directly at Adonis, “Make sure none of them kill each other alright?”

              “Of course Miss Nadia.” Adonis nodded, “I’ll keep things under control.”

              “ **good luck with that.** ” Saphenous blinked at the fireroyal, “ **can i go outside to kill squirrels?** ” He asked me.

              “Don’t kill anyone's pet though.” I warned, “Squirrels and birds only.”

              “ **sure.** ” Saphenous shrugged, “ **they move faster than dogs and cats anyways**.”

              Each time I felt like I could match his bloodlust, Saphenous would turn around and say something that reminded me of just how vicious he could be sometimes. It was disturbing, but finding a bloated, somewhat content bloodyberry in ferret carcasses was a little bit…cute? _I’m a very sick individual… I think._

              “Are you going to be okay?” Babylon questioned me, “Does one of us need to go with you?”

              “I’ll be fine Babylon.” I pressed a kiss to the top of his head in an attempt to calm him down, “You just need to relax okay?” I stood up straight and checked my appearance in a nearby mirror, “I should probably go find Olivia. I’ll leave some cash in case you guys want to get room service- don’t harass the staff though.”

              “aye aye.” Copper said with a mocking salute. I threw a pillow at him.

              “And certain crippled bitties should lay down and learn to not run his mouth.” My eye twitched a little bit, “Use the hotel room phone to call me if you ne-“

              “OOII!” Josephine’s voice called through my door. Her fist hammered against the door hard enough to make it shake a little bit, “You in there!?”

              “No, I teleported to Egypt.” I muttered.  I cast one final look at my bitties, “Be model bitties. I mean it.”

              The look of false innocence they gave me made me regret a few of my life’s decisions briefly. Josephine had her fist up like she was going to beat on the door again if I didn’t answer it. She had- quite frankly- grown huge since the last time I saw her in person. It was hard to believe the former figure of wiry muscle had turned into a pear-shaped, heavily pregnant woman. Besides the changes to her torso, not much else was different. She tended to always look like shit, so I really wasn’t put off too much.

              “You look like a florence flask.” I cocked my head.

              “We can’t all have rubberbands for waists.” Josephine grumbled, cradling her stomach protectively, “Besides, mine are twins, so fuck off.” She actually stuck her tongue out at me.

              “Glad to see motherhood hasn’t cleaned your mouth out any.” I shut the door to my hotel room.

              “Bah. My kids will probably waltz through school dropping curse words like you drop friends- oh wait, you don’t have any to begin with.” Josephine’s face was completely blank.

              “At least I can make new friends on my own without having to rely on other people to make up for how much of an asshole I am.” Was my quick reply.

              “Sissy! Nadia!” Olivia slammed into both of us and giggled when she made us stumble- more so me. She didn’t push into Josephine as much because babies.

              “Olivia.” Josephine chided her, “I know you’re only two weeks, but you still need to be more careful.”

              “Sorry.” Olivia laughed, rubbing the back of her head.

              “Two weeks…as in…?” I raised a brow.

              “Yeah…I started getting sick, so I took a test just to see. Asgore cried a little when I told him.” Olivia blushed a little bit, “Guess I’m skipping around the steps to a happy marriage life huh?”

              “Sweetheart-“ Josephine’s hand clamped down on her shoulder, “I had my fiancé practically living with me when he was just a friend, adopted my nephew, got pregnant with twins, and had sex with him daily looonnnggg before he gave me this ring. I think I’m the worst one in this equation.”

              Again, the irony wasn’t lost on me.

              The former golden child with a position at an attractive, charismatic man’s side with a child on the way had been reduced to a single, childless fool pining after a young man like she was a teenager again.

              ….

              Fuck that looks even more pathetic on the screen.

              “How does your dress look?” I shifted topics to try and minimize the pain in my chest.

              “Pretty good. I didn’t expect to get so fucking big this quick, so I had to change the design.” Josephine led the way down the hallway, “You’ll see.”

              “Well if you made it, I know that it’s going to become the next trend in our area.” I snorted.

              “Fucking hell, I hope not.” Josephine groaned and jabbed me in the stomach with her elbow, “Don’t give fate any ideas bitch. I really don’t need more excuses to rip my hair out.”

              “My apologizes.” I rolled my eyes.

              Josephine’s dress was indeed beautiful. It was a flowing gown with beading across the breast that wrapped around and opened into a long swath of beading down the back. The front moved like silk against her skin and showed of her pregnancy without detracting from anything. The veil- which she also made- was on the short side and ended in similar beading to what could be found on the gown. It was obvious how much painstaking work had been put into it- more so when she admitted to hand sewing everything herself.

              “I think Sans is going to love it.” Olivia grinned, “He hasn’t it seen it yet right?”

              “Oh hell no.” Josephine laughed, “The one time he almost did Flowey jumped on his face to give me time to hide it.”

              “Speaking of Flowey. Will he be involved in the ceremony?” I asked. A sick grin crawled across Josephine’s face as she held up the plastic…thing…that would hold her bouquet.

              “He’ll be right in here.” She winked at me, “That way, he can terrify the person who catches the bouquet by jump scaring them!”

              “Sissy!” Olivia whined while laughing.

              “For the love off…” I rested my forehead against my fingers, “You are one of the most petty people….”

              “I’ve gotta get my kicks somehow! Wearing stilettos while pregnant isn’t exactly fun.” Josephine snorted.

              After making sure that the dress fit properly and going over the kind of dress that Olivia would want, we left the small dress shop that Josephine had been keeping her dress at to go get dinner. Honestly, the innocence of it, the _normalcy_ , was a bit eerie. I felt like a normal woman with normal sisters who might’ve lived a normal life- no glitz and glam that came with money, abusive husbands, and horrible parents. I…

              …love it…

              So..SO much more than was wise.

              “So…You and Grillby?” Josephine asked over a bit of the odd food she was eating.

              “Not a thing.” My cheeks flamed bright red.

              “Why not?” Olivia pouted, “Cesar’s been sending some cute pictures of the way you look at him.”

              _Yup. Letting Copper throw him into the trash compactor. Mhm._

              “Because Grillby obviously doesn’t feel the same way about me.” I told them sternly, “I don’t want to lose my friend over a…a…silly crush that will more than likely pass with time.”

              “Doesn’t feel the same way…” Josephine looked at me flatly before pulling out her phone, “Uh huuuhhh….Then explain all of these gushing text messages he sends Comic whenever he sees you…”

              She held up some damning evidence in the form of screenshots.

              …

              “You’re blowing this out of-“

              “I say go for it!” Olivia butted in, “You know that he likes you back now. Go for it. Seriously!”

              “You’re eventually going to become the Sahara down south if you don’t get someone in you at this rate.” Josephine gave me a mocking smile. The teasing quickly faded into seriousness, “Really though. I do say to at least try. You make Grillby happy- even when you frustrate him. Give it a go.”

              “But…I’m…I’m _me_.” I placed a hand on my chest for emphasis.

              “Aannnndddd?” Olivia cocked her head, “He seems to like _you._ ”

              “But…he’s so young…” I tried.

              “You do realize she’s dating a monster that’s a few centuries old right?” Josephine pointed at a nodding Olivia, “Roll the dice for once in your life. If it goes nowhere, I doubt Grillby will end your friendship. You just need to get this out in the open.”

              They wouldn’t drop it the rest of the evening. In fact, their last words to me were “go for it” before they _both_ actually hugged me. _I suppose distance_ does _make the heart grow fonder._ My entire walk back was plagued with thoughts of actually following their advice. I pondered on how it would turn out, what could go right, what could go wrong, the pros and cons….In the end, I decided that I needed a drink or two to help me mull over my thoughts.

              “Please don’t adopt another bitty while drunk.” Adonis asked me over the phone, “While I appreciate you taking me in, you don’t need to make it a habit.”

              “I won’t.” I assured him, “I’m just going to get a couple of drinks.”

              _And I mean that this time._

              “Very well. Stay safe Miss Nadia.” A loud crash echoed from the other side of the phone, “What…? Oh for the love of…” Adonis hung up the phone.

              _May Julius and Sparta- who had to be perpetrators- rest in peace._

              This hotels bar was nowhere near as nice as some of the ones I had been in, but it had a nice assortment of drinks to choose from. The bartender seemed shocked that I was sitting at his bar. He made me a priority guest quickly though once he realized I was paying cash.

              I was nursing the last few sips of my first drink when I heard the familiar sound of my name rushing through flamed lips.             

_Dammit._

              “Hello Grillby.” I looked over my shoulder and smiled at the fatigued fire monster, “We really need to stop meeting up in bars.” I chuckled.

              “True.” Grillby typed out as he sat down beside me and waved down the bartender. His attention returned to me after he placed his order, “I just had the lovely pleasure of helping Sans and the bitties make adult party favor bags for four hours. How did your day go?”

              “I went with my sisters to check on Josephine’s dress and work on Olivia’s.” I took a sip of my drink, “Then we went to a restaurant and relaxed for about two hours much to the wait staffs annoyance. I’m sorry your day was so dull.”

              I reached over and rubbed his back comfortingly. To my surprise, he leaned against me and rested his head on my shoulder. My heart began to…dammit… _flutter_ …just a little. Uncertainty kept me statue still for the first few seconds before my impulsive desires took over. My hand trailed through his hair comforting, and I dropped a kiss onto his head. He jolted a little out of shock, flames turning red briefly.

              “Want another drink ma’am?” The bartender asked, sliding Grillby his glass.

              “Yes please.” I cleared my throat a bit awkwardly. The bartender quickly read the mood and mouthed an apology to me before disappearing off to get me a refill.

              Grillby lifted his head to drink his drink, but he was still very close to me.

              “Grillby…I was wondering something.” The nail of my thumb bit into my forefinger anxiously, “When…we...returned from the gala…how…how much of the next morning do you remember?”

              “Not much.” Grillby responded, looking at me curiously, the edges of his flame just as bright red as my face was.

              “What would you say if I told you that…you…” I fell silent for the next minute. Grillby didn’t press me and waited for me to continue, which I did after a good gulp of my next drink, “You kissed me.”

              Grillby almost burned the bar on accident. He began to make frantic noises I recognized as broken apologizes that actually ticked my buzzed brain off. The young fire elemental was in the middle of another apology when I grabbed his bow tie and tugged him over to my face. He froze when I covered his mouth with mine. His lips were inexperienced and clumsy. He ended up bumping his nose against mine on accident, but I just chuckled when I pulled back.

              “I never said it was a bad thing.” I whispered to him, “Not unless you regret it.”

              Grillby made a slightly angered noise that comforted my fraying nerves immediately. One of his arms wrapped around my waist when he carefully navigated himself down for another kiss. He learned quickly for someone so young.

              _Fucking hell……_

              “Grillby.” I held a hand up to his mouth, “I don’t want to push things if you aren’t ready for it, so if I ever-“

              He. Licked. My. Hand.

              _Okay. You will not be walking straight tomorrow at this rate mister._

              I crossed my fingers and hoped that the hotel had good insulation.


	29. ...*** Don't they?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> see you next Thursday ;)
> 
> BTW, any ideas on what to do as a Valentine's Day special would be appreciated

              The next morning rolled around in a lovely haze. I stretched out my legs a little bit only to find that Grillby had me locked tight against his chest. Ever the cuddler, his face was buried into my hair, and I could feel each lazy breath roll across my neck. My hand felt tiny in comparison to his when I held my hand over his. His hand twitched when it felt mine rest over it. Slowly, his hand clumsily grabbed onto my own and tucked back against my stomach with our fingers intertwined.

              This was so unlike mornings when I was with my ex. Usually, Edgar kept a majority of the bed between us if he wasn’t demanding sex. He never allowed cuddling or was ever very affectionate in any way whatsoever. It left me feeling empty and depressed each morning until I took my medication and told myself to suck it up.

              I…kind of…almost cried a little bit at how gentle that morning was.

              I didn’t though. Still, I must’ve wriggled around too much because Grillby lazily stirred and lifted his face from the back of my head to try to look at me. He must’ve thought it was too much effort because he just slumped against me resting his head against the side of my head this time around.

              “That cannot be comfortable.” I bit back a wince at how husky and cracked my voice sounded. Grillby made an amused and equally broken sound as he lifted his head up to smile at me, “Good morning.”

              “ _Good morning_.” The poorly pronounced English caught me off guard. I could tell how awkward it was for the words to roll out of his mouth, but all I could focus on was the fact that he just spoke to me in human, in **_human_**. I rolled over, tugging my hand from his. Grillby blinked in shock until I grabbed his face and pulled him down into a deep kiss.

              My phone rang before we could have a rerun of the night before.

              _Why didn’t you die during the night?_ I groused mentally, reluctantly pulling away from the rather smug looking fire monster. I rolled over to rest on my stomach and grabbed my phone from the night stand. I shivered slightly when the cool air of the hotel room bit into my naked skin. Suddenly, warmth covered me. Grillby snuggled his head down into the juncture of my neck and shoulder. _You are a barnacle….At least you’re a cute one._

              “Hello?” I said once I answered the phone.

              “Miss Nadia?” Adonis questioned.

              “Yes?” I rubbed my eyes.

              “Your sister is here asking for you. What should I tell h- oh dear…”

              “Oh dear?” I blinked.

              Suddenly, the door to Grillby’s hotel room opened.

              Josephine held what had to be a master key card she stole from a maid to break into my room that morning. She had the most intolerable shit eating grin on her face that made me want to claw her cocky little eyes out.

              “Well….” Josephine whistled, “Glad to know you can take advice.”

              “I hate you so much.” I sighed, snapping my phone shut. Grillby grabbed the covers and tugged them over his head, “Why on earth are you here this early?”

              “How hard did you get nailed?” Josephine snorted, pointing the clock on the night stand, “It aint’ early sister.”

              ….

              It was lunch time.

              “See why I had to show up?” Josephine’s twisted smile honestly scared me a little, “Do you have any idea how hard it is to set up for a wedding ceremony when two of the workers are mysteriously absent, won’t answer the door to their hotel room, or their GODDAMN PHONE. Get your asses up and dressed. Be at the venue in twenty, or I’m dragging your naked butts there myself!”

              With that, she slammed the door shut, making the two of us flinch.

              “Well…..bridezilla has arrived.” I rested my head on my arms. Grillby peeked his sheepish face out from under the blankets, “It’s not your fault Grillby. I must’ve turned off my alarm in my sleep or something.” I rubbed my thumb under his eye, “We should probably get up, but I’ve got ask something first: Where…where do we stand now?”

              Confusion flickered across Grillby’s face at first. Then, timidly, his pinky finger locked around mine, and he smiled at me, bringing our conjoined fingers up to his lips and pressing a gentle kiss to them. _Well, that’s one way to say we’re together I suppose…a bit vague though._

              As much as we both would’ve enjoyed lounging around in the bed for the rest of the day, we had come early to help my sister prepare for the wedding. It would’ve been wrong to bow out of our duties that early on. We parted with a hesitant kiss that slowly grew a bit more confident. It was a long walk back to my hotel room alone.

              “Hey there cradle snatcher. Enjoy popping the fire’s cherry?” Sparta asked, popping a bubble she made with bubble gum after saying that.

              “heh. he finally got you all hot and bothered enough to actually do something about the simmering tension between the two of you.” Julius added with a smug laugh.

              I tipped the table they were standing on, sending them tumbling down onto the ground, forming a twisted pile of scaled limbs and bones.

              “Nadia.” Babylon perked up, “Did you have fun?”

              “I did.” I told him, bending down to be closer to where he was standing on the bed, “You get some sleep last night?” He nodded, “That’s good. You should rest as much as you possibly can.” I stood up straight and stretched my arms out some, “…I need to get ready now.”

              “I’m sorry that your sister barged in on you and Grillby.” Adonis glowered at Julius and Sparta, “They spoke before I could silence them.”

              “It’s fine. She probably would’ve just gone there to get Grillby anyways.” I rubbed my lower back, “She’s pushy like that.”

              “does she lack the ability to understand space?” Copper grumbled for me.

              “She’s about to get married in a few days.” I shrugged, “She’s stressing out.”

              “THAT ISN’T A VIABLE EXCUSE.” Cesar sighed. I shrugged for a second time.

              My bitties and I got dressed rather quickly. The polite knock on my door let me know that it would be Grillby waiting for me outside. Sure enough, the well-dressed fire monster stood outside looking a little bashful.

              “Hello again.” I smiled at him.

              “Ew.” Sparta made a disgusted face. She yelped and cradled the back of her leg. Saphenous pulled back the blade he had light cut her with, “Hey…” She snarled. Saphenous cocked his head and flexed his blades in warning. The jaws reluctantly backed down when Adonis glared at her over Copper’s head.

              “Just let me grab my purse okay?” I asked. Grillby nodded and waited for me. When I returned, he had Adonis, Copper, Cesar, and Babylon sitting on his shoulders. _Well that solves a couple of my issues._ I grabbed Saphenous, Sparta, and Julius, “Ready to go?”

              “ _Yes_.” Grillby smiled at me.

              He had a slight limp.

              I began to laugh loud enough to make him blush a little bit. The other hotel visitors looked at me like I was insane, but I didn’t care. The light blush of red over his orange face looked so adorable that I couldn’t help myself. Sparta and Julius made gagging noises at how sickly sweet I was being. Again, I didn’t care at all. I was so happy.                       

              I was so happy that all of the jokes Sans and my sister threw my way while we helped decorate the venue didn’t bother me at all. I actually managed to keep a small smile on my face all day for the first time since I was six. My lighthearted enthusiasm actually startled and worried a couple of people- Asgore in particular. He eyed me like I was a wild animal that would snap his arm off at the drop of a pin.

              “Hey.” Josephine walked over to me, “Has Granny called you?”

              “No.” I shook my head, “Why?”

              “She’s running behind.” Josephine sighed, “I’m almost willing to bet money that one of Gaster’s experiments broke something that she needs to get fixed. She’s not answering my calls.”

              “I see.” I frowned, “She must be very busy if she’s unable to respond.”

              Josephine’s face darkened further.

              _Oh…I need to…do…or…say something…_

“She’ll be there though.” I smiled at Josephine, “She’d never miss your wedding Josephine. You know that.”

              “Yeah.” Josephine scratched the back of her head, “Guess Tyrone’s got me worrying over random shit.” Josephine rolled her eyes and nudged me with her elbow, “Anyways, want to tell me about your new burning love affair?”

              “No!” I swatted her arm.

              “Awww…come on…” Josephine laughed.

              _I wish I knew how to put you in a headlock just to make you shut up._

              Surprisingly, Josephine wasn’t as much of a bridezilla as I thought she’d be. She was quite patient about the whole thing since everyone was there and working hard. Then I realized that her bitties were “suggesting”- more like threatening- people who even looked like they were slacking off with thinly veiled threats of violence and grief. It was fascinating to watch how much her bitties cared about her. Sans would also occasionally crack down on anyone who wasn’t getting anything done.

              “Comic.” Josephine called out to him from the top of a ladder. She honestly could’ve just gestured for him. Seeing his pregnant fiancée on a ladder definitely wasn’t good for the skeleton’s health, “Could you hand me more staples? The staple gun ran out.”

              “here.” Sans hovered the box up to her expecting hand.

              “Thanks babe.” Josephine smiled down at him, “Now please quit staring at me like I’m going to fall and break my neck and get some shit done.”

              “you could fall though.” Sans argued.

              “Comic…” Josephine pointed down to where her sans-type bitties were hovering around the base of the ladder, “These guys combined are enough to catch me if that happens. Go get some work done. I mean it.”

              Sans had to practically be dragged away by Grillby and Asgore.

              We worked late into the evening and got a good portion of the decorating done. Josephine and Sans treated us all to dinner as thanks for our aid. Of course, Grillby and I were still the center of the show until Fuku began to pepper Olivia with questions about her pregnancy. Then the attention was shifted to my pregnant sisters.

              For once I didn’t feel completely and utterly envious of my sisters as I watched Sans and Asgore fawn over them. Grillby and I- obviously- weren’t at that level of a relationship or that kind of couple, but he held one of my hands under the table and rubbed small circles with his thumb across the back of my hand.

              That night, Grillby stayed in my room with my bitties and I. I awoke the next morning to find him covered with bitties seeking out warmth in the night. The hilarity of the scene made me laugh loud enough that Julius and Sparta tried to smother me with a pillow because I woke them up. Adonis and Grillby saved me from their wrath, and we all just…had a good morning…again.

              We got a lot more done decorating wise that day because Grillby and I were on time instead of being extremely late like the day before. Josephine and Sans teased us a little bit more, but Grillby’s limp had faded, removing a large chunk of their material from the day before. Fuku still teased Grillby about it from time to time while we worked though.

              “When are the others going to arrive?” Olivia asked, rubbing some sweat from her brow.

              “Ty and Leo are still making sure people are going to show up.” Josephine explained, “I dunno what’s going on with Granny though, so Sans and I might pop over to see what’s going on. The wedding’s tomorrow after all.”

              “Do you want to slip out while we finish up?” I asked, knocking some of the glitter out of my hair, “You could get it done quicker that way.”

              “Nah. I wouldn’t shove that kind of work on you guys.” Josephine shrugged.

              Suddenly, two police officers knocked on the door to the room where Josephine’s wedding would take place. Josephine let out a pained groan and mumbled something about Raze probably stealing something or harassing someone just to spite her.

              “Hello officers!” Josephine greeted the somber looking men in uniform with a smile.

              “Miss Newmore?” They asked, looking at all three of you, “All of you?”

              “Yes sir.” I answered, moving to stand beside my sister. Olivia did too. The three of us leaned forward out of curiosity, “Is something the matter?”

              “We…hate to have to be the ones to tell you this.” The younger looking officer sighed, “We’re here to inform you that Persephone Newmore was pronounced dead on arrival thirty minutes ago. The monster living with her tried his best to keep her alive until the ambulance arrived, but apparently, her debilitating sickness got the best of her. We are so sorry for your loss.”

              My mind quit working for a second.

              Suddenly, it all made sense.

              Grandmother didn’t call me to her home out of the blue just to shame me. She did it because she was dying. She had become more openly hostile towards me because I would be the one regret she’d leave behind in life, the one regret she couldn’t wipe away with money, influence, or power. I was a stain on her legacy that she wanted removed.

              My twin’s heartbroken scream barely registered. I saw Olivia drop to her knees sobbing out of the corner of my eye, but my entire body felt like lead. My mind felt like it was moving at a snail’s pace-perhaps it was. Sans, Asgore, Fuku, Grillby, and the bitties rushed to our sides, but all of their words became an incoherent jumble to my ears when I sagged against Grillby in disbelief.

              _She’s dead._

_She’s dead…._

_How…how could she die…?_

_That’s just…unconceivable…._

              My mind danced in circles trying to wrap itself around a concept I never really grasped before- the finality of death. I would never have the opportunity to try and amend things with my grandmother because she was gone. There was no other side to the bridge I was trying to build anymore.

              Finally, my mind wrapped around the idea lighting quick, and I completely crumpled into Grillby’s arms. Josephine seemed to lose her last stray bits of sanity for a little while. She broke two tables while trying to take out her anger and disbelief on things that couldn’t fight back. Olivia was a sobbing mess in Asgore’s gentle soothing embrace.

              I heard Grillby and my bitties call out my name.

              None of it really reached me still. My mind was overloaded.

              I saw Josephine turn to Sans and grab his collar. She slumped against him and begged him to let her…do…something….something she felt she needed to do. Sans had a pained, conflicted look on his face before he reluctantly nodded. I saw Flowey cradled Greyson a bit closer when golden lights appeared under Josephine’s hands.

              SAVE

              RESET

              LOAD

              Her hand rested over the latter, shaking with her tears. Her hesitant fingers trembled above the LOAD button until finally she clenched her fist and slammed it down onto the word. The world around me shattered spectacularly.

              Colors, sounds, and scents blurred together in an abstract whirlwind. Soon, Josephine, Olivia, and I were the only solid objects in the hazy mess of our reality as darkness welled up around our feet. The dark waters rose quickly, drowning Olivia and Josephine within seconds. Terrified, I struggled against the changed until I was forcibly dragged into oblivion.

              An icy chill flooded my blood. It felt like I was being ripped apart and put back together again. I screamed and screamed as the frozen darkness around me pushed into my lungs and tried to silence my protests. A blazing orange SOUL hovered over my chest, valiantly trying to reject the change happening around me.

              In the end, it was over taken by the chilled waters and snuffed out.

              I ceased to exist.

              I felt my memories trying to flee me in that moment of weakness. They were trying to wriggle free from under my fingers without me noticing, but I _noticed._ I gripped them as hard as I could as I continued to sink further down into the seemingly unending abyss. I would _remember_ dammit. I WOULD. I felt the memories cut my palms like knives, but I held on all the same.

              Suddenly, air returned to my lungs again. I could breathe.

              I could scream.

              Scream I did.

              I sat up like a lighting bolt, screaming my head off into the hotel room. Grillby snapped awake in an instant and wrapped his arms around me comfortingly when I became a sobbing mess.

              _A…nightmare…?_

              I looked at the digital alarm clock and saw that it was two days earlier- the morning after my night with Grillby.

              _Was it all a dream?_

              A sharp pain in my palms drew my teary eyes downwards.

              Blood rand down my arms and a web of cuts covered my palms and fingers. Grillby looked down at my bleeding hands as well and began to panic. He hopped out of bed to find something to treat my injuries with.

              It happened.

              It actually happened.

              ….

              And it was going to happen again.

             

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full title of the chapter: ....End Don't They?


	30. Suffering

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> I'll be honest: I expected more of a reaction to Granny dying, but I guess the LOAD kind of dampened that impact. I won't make the same mistake twice though. From now on, all pain won't have padding until after the arc is done.  
> Anyways, now that my uterus isn't trying to actively kill me like it does the first 2-3 days of it's war against my body, I can actually write without getting sick :D I'm hoping to get a lot of writing done this weekend since I've been slacking off the past two days. Either way, we're getting to Ch.40 sometime before Tuesday of next week- I'm determined.

              _“Naadia.”_ Grillby’s fiery hands felt nice against my skin, warm, lively. I felt like a hollow husk while trying to process what I had remembered. Some part of me had hoped and prayed that I would look down to find my hands perfectly fine, spotless. If they weren’t hurt, it would’ve all been just a dream. The bandages on my hands still sat heavily on them each time I fixated on my trembling appendages.

              “oiii.” Julius kicked my thigh. I honestly couldn’t remember when Grillby had gone to get my bitties. Everything had blurred together in my mind. Separating a dazed déjà vu hallucination from reality became increasingly difficult, “bitch! fucking hell i think she’s cata-fucking-tonic at this rate.”

              “Nadia?” Babylon’s hands gently rubbed at my wrist. He looked torn between biting me out of frustration like Saphenous and Sparta were doing or treating me gently like Adonis and Grillby seemed to favor, “Please talk to us. You’re not normally like this.”

              “MOTHER. YOU’RE CONCERNING ME.” Cesar stood on my lap, snapping his fingers in an attempt to get my attention, “MOTHER. PLEASE.”

              The door to Grillby’s room swung open with a bang, making my bitties jump and snarl at the intruder. Josephine looked like complete shit- well more so than usual anyways. Her hands weren’t bandaged like my own, but the cuts- which seemed to be shallower than mine- were scabbed over enough that blood didn’t slide down her arm. A frantic, panicky Olivia stood sniffling behind her, mumbling broken, incoherent sentences to herself. Her delicate hands were wrapped in what appeared to be strips of Asgore’s cloak.

              “Nadia, get dressed. We need to drive to Granny’s.” Josephine told me in an even tone. When I didn’t respond, her voice became firmer, more like our parents’, “Nadia. Get dressed and go get your car out of valet- _now_.” I stood up mechanically after gently removing my bitties from my person. Keeping my cold, collected face up, I got dressed while Josephine addressed my fire monster lover, “Grillby, I know that this whole thing has to be worrying you to death, but I’m begging you to just please have some faith in me to take care of her. Someone needs to look after her bitties though.”

              “DO YOU TAKE ME FOR A FOOL?” Cesar spat at Josephine, glaring up at me, “MOTHER! ARE YOU GOING TO JUST WORDLESSLY FOLLOW HER COMMANDS? WHY AREN’T YOU FIGHTING BACK?”

              “Leave it be Cesar.” I told him quietly, slowly regaining some control over myself. Josephine and I locked gazes. Our communication in the brief seconds brown eyes met gray told me everything I needed: Josephine had answers that she would give me, but she wasn’t going to do it around the others. With a curt nod, Josephine took Olivia and closed the door to the room.

              “ _Naaadiiiaa._ ” Grillby sounded more pained and frustrated.

              A part of me I thought had been lost resurfaced in that moment of weakness.

              Nadia Newmore crawled up my neck and took over my face. I felt myself stand taller, my eyes go dry, my lips thin into a flat line. Within seconds, the face I had worn to cope with the years I spent under my parents’ thumbs came up to protect me against the people I could honestly say I loved most in the world- in some capacity at least.

              _No. Not to protect me from them…_

              To protect them from me.

              I could feel parts of my being shattering still, crumbling behind the mask that seemed to concern Grillby and my bitties even more. Logic dictated that I should go and get my anti-depressants, but if Grandmother was really set to die in less than 48 hours, time didn’t need to be wasted. I quickly dressed myself before turning to Grillby and my bitties.

              “ **i’m not enjoying this.** ” Saphenous growled at me angrily.

              “Miss Nadia. Please tell us what’s going on in your mind…Why are you so upset?” Adonis pleaded gently, looking frustrated that he couldn’t solve my woes, “We’re just worried about you.”

              “Would you believe me if I told you that I know something bad is going to happen soon?” I asked quietly. It was obvious they had no memory of what had happened, and Josephine’s steely gaze from before almost screamed at me to be silent about it.

              “You’re a psychic now?” Sparta spat.

              “In a way I suppose.” I shrugged the practiced, polite, casual shrug I had beaten into my back by various etiquette tutors over the years. Nadia Newmore didn’t have actual connections, actual friends. Her responses were shallow mimicries of real interactions people had, and I could tell that none of the eyes watching me bought them as reality, “I swear things will make sense in time. I just need to go with my sisters for now.”

              “nadia.” Copper sighed, wincing a little when a shift in his weight made his back hurt. Automatically, I reached down to pick him up and lay him on a nearby pillow to try and alleviate his pain. Copper’s eyes stared into mine unhappily, “ _nadia._ i thought we were past this point.”

              “This point?” I asked, standing up.

              “Past the ‘I’m going to pull on my poker face and keep going’ point.” Babylon clarified, nipping my hand when my blank look frustrated him, “For the love of- _Mama._ Tell us what’s wrong.”

              Like that, Nadia Newmore crashed down around me. Fresh tears welled up in my eyes and my whole body began to shake. Grillby immediately locked me in a soothing embrace and ran his hands through my hair. I didn’t have time to be sat back down and comforted by my bitties and precious fire monster. I needed to grab my keys and go collect my car and my sisters, but….the will to leave just didn’t muster. Instead, the desire to just stay in Grillby’s sweet, loving embrace and sink into the open displays of affection my bitties were offering me flooded my system. Even Sparta was finally showing some of her sweet side, nuzzling my hand just a tad.

              “I really do need to go.” I whispered into Grillby’s shoulder, “There is something that must be done- things that need to be finished….” I pulled back just a hair to look up at him. I heard the sizzle of one of his hands when he cupped my tear stained face. Out of habit, I pulled back and dried my face before letting him put his hand back on it again, “I’m sorry that I’m worrying you all.”

              The soothing sound of him talking almost lulled me into a depressed nap. I recognized a few of the gentle words as being soft assurances and felt myself relax even more. My battered hands absentmindedly stroked my bitties in a random pattern. Their tension slowly calmed down with each gentle touch, and I could tell that all of them were growing more comfortable with my improved mental state.

              “I’ll be back.” I promised, kissing Grillby out of a need for a simple, chaste bit of contact. He returned the kiss clumsily, bumping his nose against mine accidentally. The fumble actually made me chuckle a little bit. Grillby’s tense shoulders relaxed just a little bit at the broken sound. I looked down at my bitties and saw that they still had their eyes trained on me- the exception being Saphenous who kept his gaze on my pulse for any abnormalities, “I’m sorry. I promise I’m f-“ I paused, “-better now. I hate that I’ve caused you all so much distress.” I brushed the tops of their heads lovingly.

              Josephine hadn’t come back up to rush me, but, then again, she probably had her hands full trying to calm down Olivia. Knowing her, she’d already pulled my car out of valet. Patience had never been a strong suit of hers after all. _I do need to leave now though. It’s a decent drive to Grandmother’s, and from the sounds of it, Sans will be staying in Grayridge._

              Grillby and my bitties were still hesitant to let me go, but they gritted their teeth and watched me leave. I did have a few warnings (“Call if something happens” “Be back in a timely manner” “Come back if you start freaking out”) called out at my back. The calm warnings didn’t offend me though. My heart felt just a little bit lighter when I stepped into the elevator and looked back to see the eight of them watching me. My hand rose in a gentle wave as the door closed.

              It sank down almost immediately once I was in the elevator alone. Sagging against the wall during my descent, I tried my best to gather my fraying nerves. The normal, average woman in me wanted to freak out and panic over time seemingly moving backwards, but the calculating business woman in me was used to out of the blue surprises. I knew losing my head would only make things worse for me. _Stay brave to win the battle. Stay calm to win the war._ It was one of my parents’ mantras. Passion in brief, meaningless altercations were alright- impressive to some. They could be equated to my “catfight” with Daniella. This new realization that my twin- one of the most impulsive, impatient, and abrasive people I knew- could seemingly _control fucking time_ definitely counted as a war to be won with cold logic.

              “Nadia.” Josephine called out to me. Olivia still sniffled beside her, but our younger sister seemed much calmer, “Got your car out. Ready to go?”

              “Yes.” My voice came out clipped. Olivia looked up at me with those big blue eyes of hers. I suppose one could attribute my immediate reaction to being trained after months with very broken bitties. For the first time in years, I honestly pulled my little sister into a calming hug. Olivia made a soft honking noise into her tissue before slouching against me and practically crushing my ribs.

              “I’m scared Nadi.” Olivia whimpered, “This is all so….so…”

              “New.” I reached up and ran my hand through her bob, “I know. It’s frightening.” I glared at Josephine, my ire finding an easy target in my haggard, guilty looking twin, “Perhaps some warning would’ve been nice before time was reversed, but I suppose one can be forgiven for actions in the heat of the moment.”

              “I honestly didn’t expect either of you to remember.” Josephine mumbled apologetically, “You didn’t remember last time…”

              “Last time?” Olivia’s head perked up, “You’ve done this before?” Her voice was a little frantic.

              “Yes baby boo.” Josephine’s hand brushed against mine when she put a calming hand on Olivia’s head, “Only once though. It…honestly takes a lot out of me.” Her sleeve slid down a little. I noticed that her cuts weren’t just centered round her hands. They disappeared up her sleeve and seemed to appear on her collar bone as well. A peek downwards showed me the edges of cuts disappearing into her pajama bottoms.

              “The twins?” I questioned, looking at her stomach, my spare hand drifting to Olivia’s stomach as well.

              “Perfectly fine. They’ve acclimated to my random surges of determination at this point- apparently, my ratings go off the charts when I’m mad, and well…pregnancy hormones.” Josephine shrugged, “Sans honestly might think they could get so used to it that they could almost survive being injected with straight determination and be fine.” Josephine looked down at Olivia’s still flat stomach, “Asgore Junior should be fine too. Livvy didn’t have to carry the weight of LOADING.”

              “What?” I raised a brow. Josephine looked around at the lobby that was increasing in the number of people looking at us, “In the car?” I offered. She nodded immediately.

              Oh boy were the gossip columns going to enjoy blabbing about all three of the Newmore sisters practically stumbling out of the hotel, looking like shit. There was no telling the kinds of stories they’d weave around our weary, broken appearances, and I really didn’t have the patience to tolerate it in all honestly. I slid behind the wheel of my car while Olivia slid in the back. Josephine sat beside me, and the mere action of buckling her seatbelt caused some of the shallow cuts to open back up again.

              “Sissy.” Olivia sniffled, “Your cuts..”

              “Are barely two centimeters deep. Don’t worry about it.” Josephine reached back to gingerly squeeze Olivia’s hand, “Do you need to call Asgore? He looked terrible when I came to pick you up.”

              “Honestly, I think that it was mostly his protectiveness amping up his stress.” Olivia’s voice finally started to clear up a little, “Sissy. What just happened? It was Friday, but now it’s Wednesday again….you called it…loading?”

              Josephine was quiet, letting out a long, heavy sigh as she sat back in the passenger seat.       

              “Phine.” My sharp voice didn’t even make her flinch, “We need answers.”

              “I’m just trying to figure out where to start.” Josephine groaned, rubbing her face with her hands, smearing some blood on her skin before letting out a huff, “Mt. Ebott has a high concentration of magic in one place due to constant exposure to monster magic. It built up behind the barrier forming a pull so strong that Mt. Ebott became the focus of this world’s time line, and Mt. Ebott gives whoever has the highest levels of determination the ability to control that power. Think of it this way, Mt. Ebott is our square one, and each time the person who can control that magic wants to start over, Mt. Ebott obliges by pulling time and space itself around to accommodate the user.” Josephine looked down at her scuffed up body, “There was one a kid who had this power- the kid they got from Mt. Ebott before they found the monsters…Frisk. He could reset the timeline, and he did- over and over. Each time, the barrier around Mt. Ebott would be down longer, the magic would grow less concentrated. Eventually, the negative effects culminated in powerful monsters getting ill and Frisk committing suicide. The barrier was broken, and buttons finally reached their limit- breaking under the stress of too many redos. Comic calls them RESETS. That make sense?”

              “So you’re saying Mt. Ebott can control space and time. A child had this ability and abused it until it broke?” I asked for clarification. Josephine nodded.

              “The magic ended up choosing me.” Josephine looked down at her hands, “I’ve had this ability since I was run off the road that Thanksgiving. Back then, the buttons weren’t functional, so they didn’t matter. Their functionality increased over time though. Now, they can be used- albeit under a great determination spike on my part to fuel the reaction that leaves me collapsed for a good hour. Comic hasn’t had the best experience with this ability- he knew Frisk and remembers…everything. Every time Frisk REST, he knew. He knows how easily this power could be abused…I mean…how often do people joke about having a rewind button? I’m not allowed to RESET though. That’ll take us back to the automatic first step- Mt. Ebott. The ability would then transfer back to Frisk. LOADING is the only thing I’m allowed to do in rare circumstances.” A pained, wry smile crossed her face.

              “So…you have limits then?” I asked.

              “I SAVE- create a new starting point for the timeline- every 48 hours, and I only LOAD in extreme cases of emotional distress for a select few people. We actually have a list of individuals I’ll LOAD for- you two, Granny, the bitties, Tyrone, Leo, Papyrus, and so on- the people we love and care about. I’m not allowed to LOAD over petty things like broken bones or broken hearts.” Josephine almost sounded relieved that she could finally get this off of her chest, “The one time I LOADED was back in January. Neither of you remember it, but one night, Papyrus went to go shopping like he always does. Usually, Comic goes with him. That night he had a really important meeting though, and Papyrus insisted Comic go to it instead of going with him….” Josephine paused to clear her throat, “Papyrus was mugged and shot in the head five times until he crumbled to dust. I had to LOAD then to save his life. Sans cancelled the meeting to walk with his brother and protected Papyrus the second time around. We haven’t had to do it since.”

              “Oh my god…” Olivia’s hand went to her mouth, “I…I…I had a nightmare….that…Pap...he died, but he was okay when I woke up, so I wrote it off….was it…real?”

              “Probably. The Arietta family has strong determination. I wouldn’t be surprised if all of our family members felt a bit off.” Josephine did seem a little stunned Olivia had a vague inclination of it, “I guess your deeper connection with Papyrus made it easier for you to remember.”

              It most certainly did. I didn’t recall feeling strange at all.

              “Josephine.” _If we only have…48 hours…_ “We can’t save Grandmother can we? We’re…just…going to…”

              “Say a proper good-bye.” Josephine finished for me, rubbing her face again, “If Granny died by some accident or violent act, I could stop it, but if she’s sick….there’s nothing I can do. My starting point is this morning, and unless I RESET, it won’t change. I was actually about to SAVE when those police officers came to tell us the news….” Josephine let out a humorless laugh, “Wouldn’t that have just been spectacular?”

              “We can’t save Granny?” Olivia dipped back into her deep melancholy.

              “I’m sorry baby boo.” Josephine sighed, running a hand over her stomach, “If I RESET, there’s no guarantee things would play out like it did in this time line…or that _we’d_ even remember since the power would go back to Frisk. I don’t want to undo all of what we’ve accomplished…”

              _I don’t want you too either._

              Our dynamics, our fate had changed so much during this period of time. There was no telling how things would be if the power fell to someone else.

              “I understand.” I said calmly. I knew- realistically- that I would probably find myself huddled in Grillby’s arms for a couple of hours after all of this was said and done to cope with all of this, but in that moment, I had a painful mission to complete. Grandmother- even on her deathbed- wouldn’t be kind to me. I knew this….

              I still needed to say good-bye to her though.

              “I guess that is better than just…finding out…the way we did.” Olivia held her bandaged hands up to her face and took a deep breath. Perhaps the scraps of Asgore’s cloak smelled like him, calming her nerves a little before she wrapped her arms around her torso, “Sissy…..I…You don’t want us to tell the others….”

              “Preferably not.” Josephine nodded, “It would save Comic and I a lot of trouble. I didn’t even want you two to find out about it since…well….what if something terrible happens, but it’s not severe enough to warrant a LOAD. Then, people will get mad at me and hate me and…” Josephine trailed off, clutching a hand to her chest, “I hate this power already.”

              “I won’t do that.” I told her firmly, “Unless myself, my bitties, or Grillby dies, do not LOAD for my sake. I refuse to be a burden on your conscience like that.”

              “I agree.” Olivia reached forward to rest a hand on Josephine’s shoulder, “Please don’t feel like you have to do that for us.”

              Josephine relaxed just a hair.

              Then her phone rang.

              “Hi Comic.” She said upon answering it, “Yeah. I’m with them….We’re on our way. I’m sorry. I know LOADING gives you a headache….I’ll give you a lot of head rubs when I get back alright?...” A soft, loving smile crossed her face, “I love you too- so much…I’m sorry…” For the first time, tears actually welled up in her eyes. I was used to seeing my sister angry. Tears for her usually indicated rage, not sorrow. To see her raise her sleeve to catch hot, pained tears rolling down her face actually left me more than a little shaken, “I’m sorry…I just couldn’t…leave it like that….yes….I love you…god I love you more than I can really say…Alright. Keep an eye on our little ones. I love you….Good-bye.”

              Josephine hung up her phone and went limp in the passenger seat, pain, frustration, and sadness warring for control over her facial features while she slowly pieced herself back together. I wasn’t the only one struggling to hold myself in one piece over the whole ordeal.

              After Josephine spoke with Sans, none of us said anything. All three of our hands ended up on the center console though, piled on top of each other to provide some kind of silent comfort. My hand was squished in the middle, protectively cradling Olivia’s, being protectively shielded by Josephine’s. It was in that moment I could literally feel the differences between us all.

              We all had our share of callouses.

              Olivia’s small hand, a little scuffed up due to her pushing herself too hard, fit snuggly under our protective fingers. It felt right to have her shielded the most from the outside world. Her small, wiry hands felt so childlike under my palm.

              My own was marred by the picture perfect scars of a picture perfect education. It needed the support providing the protection to the small hand beneath it provided, but the frail hand desperately needed the gentle hand holding it as well. It took comfort from being the protector and the protected.

              On the top, Josephine’s monstrously large, rough hands caged our protectively. The flesh of her palm was equivalent to leather in roughness due to years of a hard life caused by others and herself. I could practically feel her hand vibrating with barely controlled tension. She hated not having something to directly fight against.

              Our hands drew even closer together the closer we got to Grandmother’s house. Fingers awkwardly locked into painful, stiffening positions.

              None of us cared.

              Especially when we pulled up to the house and saw Gaster- not Grandmother- waiting for us with a gaunt face and thin frown.

              _This is going to be hell._


	31. Gone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full links/disclaimer can be found in Ch.1
> 
> I gotta be somewhere soon, so no quirky note. Hope you enjoy~

              “Was it necessary to cause her such pain?” Dr. Gaster’s low growl and squinting eyes obviously ticked Josephine off, “She doesn’t have too much blood to spare at this stage.”

              Josephine paused right in front of him. For a minute, I worried that she would lash out at the doctor only for the blatantly agitated monster to retaliate. Olivia shook behind me with anxious energy as well. Neither of us could really get a read on Josephine in that moment. The flat, unmoving look that rested on her face was as far from natural as she got.

              “I know you’re such a piece of fucking cardboard you probably don’t get it old man, but-“ Josephine took a step forward, getting into Dr. Gaster’s personal space. The older monster recoiled just a hair- not enough to indicate weakness, just enough to show his caution. Josephine cocked her head, “-humans don’t tend to deal well when someone they love just tragically up and dies without warning….How long have you known about this Gaster?” Josephine growled, “You’ve lived with her. I doubt that she could keep an illness that’ll take her life in the next 48 hours secret from you.”

              “I’ve known for a few months.” Dr. Gaster said, face twitching just a hair, “She collapsed in the garden and scratched up her arm. When I healed her, I detected the illness. She has late stage pancreatic cancer that has spread throughout her body. I tried to get her to seek out treatment, but when she told me….” He fell silent for a few heartbeats. Josephine’s hand tangled in his ‘coat’ as she dragged him forward and down to her head.

              “She told you _what_ Gaster? What could possibly have swayed you to not take her to goddamn hospital!?” Josephine roared.

              “I didn’t want to die connected to a bunch of machines.” Grandmother’s voice made me flinch a little. Her tarnished image made me startle once more. The once tall, powerful woman looked more like a frail, old songbird about to fall off of its perch, “You’ve gone through cancer treatments Josephine. They almost broke you- and you were much, _much_ younger than I am now. Please let Wing go now dear. He’s tried to take me to hospitals, but well…your stubborn streak had to come from somewhere.”

              “Granny!” Olivia flung her arms around the old woman and squeezed her tight, “Granny…” I could hear fresh tears in her voice.

              “Livvy…” Grandmother’s hands went up to run through Olivia’s short hair, “I’m so sorry baby.” Bandages ran up her arms, soaked through with blood and in needed of being changed. Grandmother looked at Josephine, “I’m sorry. I really wanted to make it to your wedding dear, but…I guess it’s just not in the cards.”

              “Granny.” Josephine’s hand went slack. Dr. Gaster stepped back and exited off the porch to disappear around the house. His face was twisted with what could only be described as pain. I saw Grandmother watch him leave before wrapping Josephine up in a hug as well, “Dammit you old bag….You said you’d walk me down the aisle.”

              “I know. I’m so-“ Grandmother began to cough, sounding like her lungs were ready to dislodge from her chest and spill out onto the porch. She sagged against my sister for support during her coughing fit and the following bout of dry heaving. When she finally managed to right herself once more, her eyes locked with mine.

              The gentle love and compassion I saw in those brown eyes as she tried to soothe Josephine and Olivia disappeared behind a fiery contempt that shook me to the core. I could feel her count all of the ways I had disappointed her in the back of her head during those few seconds. Parts of my brain warred for an idea of what to do. Nothing would please her. Nothing….not that I really had anything to offer her in the first place.

              Despite being free of Greyson, my husband, my parents, I hadn’t really changed all that much. My inability to connect with others hung heavily over my head, and I had gained a reputation as one of the cruelest women in the world after the Daniella fiasco. My parents and Edgar weren’t around for me to blame anymore however. All of my failings were mine. All of my weaknesses were mine. I was my own person, or at least, I was trying to be my own person. In reality, I was a husk trying to figure out what kinds of things filled me and left me feeling warm- like being around Grillby or spending time with my bitties. I was a husk trying to purge the remainders of my dark years from my body- recognizing how disgusting the galas were and seeing how being on the top didn’t really mean much in the long run.

              …..

              I was _trying_ though. Effort practically gushed out of me every time I tried to connect with someone. Pain, sweat, and tears went into creating my own future at a company that wasn’t as bad as the rest. I was helping Fuku and her classmates because it was the right thing to do instead of using it as a PR stunt. I was…I was falling into an actual, genuine relationship with someone.

              All in all, my struggles strained to be heard by deaf ears.

              I was not Nadia Victoria Newmore, the oldest grandchild of Persephone Arietta.

              I was the Nadia Newmore, a reminder of how she failed to raise one of her daughters properly, a stain on the Arietta legacy that grew with each infamous breath I took. My hands weren’t weaving new opportunities like her other grandchildrens’ were- no. Mine ripped through the Arietta façade as I struggled to free myself from all of the names I had placed on my shoulders over the years.

              I was a problem, not a person.

              And goddamn did it hurt so much.

              “We should get you inside.” Olivia sniffled, tugging Grandmother’s gaze away from me, “You’re just going to feel worse moving around like this.”

              “I’m not about to snap in half.” Grandmother argued. She let Josephine and Olivia escort her back inside her home however.

              I lingered outside the front door for a couple of seconds, watching my sisters easily enter what was their sanctuary. Grandmother’s cabin- a haven away from the politics and business deals of the Mt. Ebott area- seemed more like a lair to the creature hell bent on keeping me away from my happiness. The warm colors of her home and my sisters’ clothing made me feel even more out of place in my dark skirt and red blouse. Nothing about me was homely, warm, or kind.  I didn’t radiate the welcoming aura that they did.

              Still, I couldn’t stand outside forever. Eternally my twin’s shadow in Grandmother’s eyes, my black clad form silently followed the small party of brightly dressed women down the hallway as they spoke gently to each other. I felt like an interloper watching what should’ve been a private family moment. Even when Olivia looked over her shoulder to check on me, I didn’t feel included. I faked a smile to keep from further agitating my stressed younger sister.

              The two of them managed to coax Grandmother back into her bed. While they were busy helping Grandmother settle in, I took note of the things on the nightstand on the other side of the bed. Various tools and a notebook were strayed on it. A pair of glasses that were definitely too strong to be hers could also be found there. _I wonder if Dr. Gaster forgot his glasses._ The child in me was slightly revolted to think about my grandmother having a relationship with anyone, but the adult in me quickly took over, reminding me that she and the doctor could do as they pleased.

              “Granny.” Josephine sighed as she and Olivia sat down on the bed beside Grandmother. I stayed standing, “Why didn’t you tell us sooner?”

              “And have you live with the knowledge I’d be kicking the bucket sometime in the fall?” Grandmother raised a brow, “I’m not that cruel Josephine. I didn’t want either of you two to rearrange your schedule because of me. It’s bad enough that you had to LOAD- I know how much you and Sans bicker over the buttons.”

              “He understands Granny.” Josephine picked up one of Grandmother’s hands like she was used to it. In all honesty, she probably was, “Trust me. He knows how important family can be.”

              “Granny.” Olivia sniffled, drying her eyes, “You…You’ve known for a while?”

              “Yes. It was the reason why I went on that long road trip.” Grandmother’s thin smile cracked a little. I could see it in her then: fear. She _was_ afraid of dying, “I wanted to…see parts of the world one last time- enjoy myself a little. I was also hoping to help Wing along the way.” Grandmother’s weak chuckle turning into another pained coughing fit, “He’s doing so well….I don’t know what’s going to happen after I’m gone….Joey. Look after him? Please…I know that he and Sans still don’t get along that well, but…I don’t want him to coop himself up in this place and rot.”

              “I’ll take care of him.” Josephine squeezed Grandmother’s hand, “I promise…”

              There was a pregnant pause when Josephine began to tear up a little.

              The three women broke down.

              I…

              I felt nothing.

              Numbness radiated through my being. What should’ve been a touching scene left me unmoved. Grandmother hadn’t even paid me any attention- even then. All of her focus was on her two precious granddaughters. I wasn’t part of that image.

              _I shouldn’t have come here._

              Deciding that bringing Dr. Gaster his glasses would be a polite way to make an exit, I picked up the bulky frames and left the women to their grief without a fuss. I made sure to not make any noise that would draw their attention and managed to slide out of the room with none of them noticing me at all.

              _They don’t notice because they don’t care._

_~~You mean nothing to them.~~_

_~~Did you honestly think things would change just because Josephine is giving you a chance? Persephone Arietta hates you. You know she does. Did you forget accepting that already? How pathetic…..even after accepting it, you still yearn for her love? You’re just so stupid. You should shatter those glasses and use one of the sharp ends to rip your wrists open. It’s no less than you deserve….~~_

              My entire body leant against the wall for a couple of minutes. I tried my best to ride through the riptide of emotions tearing me apart from the inside. My hands reached for my bitties, for Grillby, for anyone automatically. No one was there. I was alone.

              _~~Like you always will be.~~_

              I clenched my hand leaned against the wall harder. A sharp sting ran up my arm. I looked at my forearm to find the flaming red bite wounds Sparta and Saphenous had left on my arm during their attempts to get me to talk. One of the ones that had scabbed over began to bleed again. Like magic, the pain, the wound, it reminded me that I wasn’t actually alone. Back in Grayridge, in that hotel, my bitties were waiting for me to return to them.

              Using that knowledge to straighten myself out, I stood up and finished my walk out into the back.

              Dr. Gaster sat on the back porch staring at the empty sky with blank eyes.

              “I think you forgot these.” I said. Dr. Gaster startled- if one can call a quick glance over the shoulder a ‘startle’- at my sudden entrance. I held out his glasses, “You’re just going to give yourself a headache at this rate.”

              “What are you doing out here?” Dr. Gaster asked, taking the glasses from me. His eyes relaxed a little once they were on his face, “You should be spending time with your grandmother- it’s not a luxury you have anymore.”

              “Josephine and Olivia are enjoying it.” I shrugged and sat down on the back porch, “I’m just the driver really.”

              “Human…” Dr. Gaster frowned.

              “She didn’t even acknowledge my presence.” I rambled, wishing I had my bitties, “Not once. I don’t know why I’m trying so hard for a person who won’t even meet me half way….I’m done Dr. Gaster- really done this time.” I could feel the fading connection between my grandmother and I snap- a final frayed nerve finally put to rest, “I do thank you though, for making her last few months bearable. Despite the bad blood between us, I’m glad she’ll be getting a somewhat happy ending. Josephine has already promised to look after you by the way.”

              “Of course she’d assign me a babysitter.” Dr. Gaster grumbled to himself, “Like I’m not an old monster, but a whimpering child…I wish she would stop babying me so.”

              “I would’ve once killed to have her baby me at all.” I retorted dryly. Then, I let out a weary sigh and asked, “Did you already tell her _your_ good-bye?”

              “I’ve been saying good-bye to her ever since I found out.” Dr. Gaster made a soft, pained noise. I could tell how much her death weighed on him, “Good things come and go. I suppose the women in my life just don’t get to live for long.”

              “I assume you’re talking about your deceased wife?” I asked. He nodded, “Well…at least you know that both of them will have died loving you.” He flinched a little, but he actually seemed a like I had told him something important. His mouth opened to talk. He hesitated before shutting it again.

              “You’ll be staying in her house?” I asked. He nodded, “Hmm…well. I hope you enjoy hosting parties.” He made a face that actually got a chuckle out of me, “If you aren’t, just ask Olivia. She’d probably be happy to help. Grandmother is the center of their world….I wonder what Josephine’s going to do now. She doesn’t have anyone to walk her down the aisle.”

              I bit my lip a little. It was bad enough Grandmother had to die the day before my twin’s wedding, but the old woman was also leaving behind a duty that not many people could really do. Dr. Gaster made a humming noise that grabbed my attention. I could practically hear the gears grinding in his mind. It didn’t take long for me to deduce what he was thinking.

              “She probably would let you do it if you asked.” I actually got a small amount of pleasure out of watching him flinch. He glared at me.

              “Do all you Arietta women have mind reading capabilities?” He hissed, more than a little annoyed.

              “I’m a Newmore.” My tart reply made me blink. Suddenly, the reason for the disconnect made sense to me, “I’m a Newmore- not an Arietta.”

              Dr. Gaster and I locked gazes for a little bit. Then, he nodded in understanding.

              We sat in companionable silence after that.

              I didn’t return inside until Josephine came out to collect us. She glowered at me for ‘bailing’ on them, but she seemed too exhausted to really argue with me. Olivia and Josephine went to go lay down for a little bit to recover. Dr. Gaster began to prepare some form of a meal that caught on fire once or twice. This was the perfect opportunity for me.

              I slipped into Grandmother’s room, making enough noise for her to notice me. She opened her eyes and frowned a little upon seeing it was me.

              “Dr. Gaster is preparing a meal right now. He’s burnt it twice.” I stated.

              “He always burns food.” Grandmother sighed, looking away from me, “What do you want Nadia? More money like your mother?”

              “Quite the opposite actually. I want you to remove me from your will.”

              Grandmother sat up straight immediately, glaring at me.            

              _“What!?”_ She roared.

              “You told my mother that you want nothing to do with the Newmore family.” I shrugged, “I’m a Newmore. I don’t need to be in your will. Take me out. I’ll make my own path.”

              “Excuse me?” Grandmother was going to work herself into a coughing fit, “After all of the pain you subjected your sisters to for this cash, you’re just going to walk away from it!? You’re just like your mother.” She spat.

              “I’m nothing like her actually.” I kept a straight face, “Anyways. You have your will on hand yes? Remove me from it. I don’t care. I can call up a lawyer if you’d like. That’s assuming you didn’t write a version of it without me in it just in case my relationship with my sisters fell apart before you died.” The spasm across her face told me she had done just that, “Just use that one then.”

              Grandmother couldn’t seem to pin down her emotions. She narrowed her eyes at me hatefully.

              “Who are you?” She growled.

              “Nadia Victoria Newmore. Your average grunt working under Berken, living in Greenridge.” I answered honestly, “I’m a cutthroat, ice cold bitch who doesn’t really care about anything- the money, the grandeur. The things I do care about though…I hold onto because I understand how precious they are. My pride happens to be one of them. Anyways Mrs. Arietta, please remove me from your will. I don’t want your money. Quite frankly, I don’t need it. I’m going to end up getting a promotion eventually.”

              Grandmother looked ready to turn a shade of purple before she took a deep breath and let out an annoyed sound.   

              “You’re doing this just to work me up.” She accused.

              “I’m not. Do it.”

              “You want to make me a villain.”

              “You aren’t a villain.” I snorted, “I am.” I held a hand up to my chest, “If you’re anything, you’re a petty, two-faced side character not many people enjoy once they see what you’re really like. Now, I’m going to go get some pain killers for the headaches I know Josephine and Olivia are going to have when they wake up from their naps.” I turned and reached the door way to her room. I hesitated, “You know….I just wanted you to love me. I thought that being my parents’ puppet would make you love me. I thought following in Josephine’s footsteps would make you love me….you just don’t want to do you?” I looked over my shoulder at her, “You need someone to hate, someone to blame for your inability to control my parents’ during Josephine’s life. I’m that person aren’t I…? Lovely. I always did wonder what it would be like to be an antagonist…Hm…Maybe I should get it on a t-shirt or something to wear around the house.” All jokes aside, I added, “I loved the idea of you Grandmother, and I’m glad that my sisters had someone they could depend on. Good-bye.”

              With that, I left.

              Josephine and Olivia woke up with headaches like I expected. While they spent more time with Grandmother, I messaged various people to inform them of the changes. Josephine’s wedding- at Grandmother’s insistence- would still go on when it was supposed to. It wasn’t to be delayed a single minute. Grandmother’s lawyer stopped by the second day to pick up some papers from her. I knew what they were. My sisters didn’t.

              The afternoon of Grandmother’s last day alive found me patiently waiting in the corner of Grandmother’s room. She looked even frailer than usual as death grew closer. Josephine, Dr. Gaster, and Olivia crowded her and whispered their final heartbreaking good-byes.

              Grandmother died surrounded by people who loved her.

              Josephine pulled up the buttons through teary eyes.

              Her hand shook when it hovered over the SAVE button.

              She brushed it lightly, but the slight touch was enough to trigger it. I felt something shift, my hands ached a little.

              It was over.

              I sat back in my chair and marveled at how cold I could be.

              Pain- of course- radiated in me because my sisters were hurting, and Grandmother died hating my guts. The pain didn’t move me to tears or trembling. It just left me numb while I waited for my sisters to collect themselves.

              I wanted to go home, away from this all- away from their little family. I wanted to go back to _my_ family- a family brought together by mutual pain and suffering, a family that understood that life was misery.

              …

              I also _really_ wanted to just get hammered with Grillby and pretend the past 96 hours hadn’t happened.

              _Please…_


	32. Rest for the Wicked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> *thinks about the fact I have to write 4 chapters tomorrow and 4 on Sunday* fucking hell....This is what happens when I get pushed off schedule. At this rate, March and April will probably both become side content months while I finish ironing out the kinds for SwY.  
> Anyways, I'm going to go write something for myself before crawling into bed. Peace.

              The return to Grayridge was a quiet one for me.

              Josephine had looked more than a little pained when she was forced to ask me to return to the hotel in order to help the others finish getting everything set up. I could tell that she hated having to lean on me, but Olivia was still too rattled to have to manage…well…anything in all honesty. Josephine did like my idea about Dr. Gaster being the one to walk her down the aisle however. The doctor’s face was a lovely shade of light purple when I left.

              _There’s so much to do…_

              A small part of me actually protested at how callous I was being. I had left Grandmother’s house without a fuss. I didn’t feel any real desire to go back and sob over her corpse either. There wasn’t any feeling of victory or joy of course- just numbness. Unlike my sisters, I didn’t have a lot of time to carefully compartmentalize and process everything. I would be returning to work the day after the wedding; thus, my grief had to move quickly.

              _~~Are you sure you’re even human?~~_

              I ignored the self-deprecating soundtrack, knowing that it would stop acting up once I took my medication. Leaving without my pill bottle honestly had to have been one of the stupidest things I could’ve ever done. Only my desire for Josephine to have someone to lean on kept me together.

              ….

              _“Only my desire for Josephine to have someone to lean on…_ ”

              _…I want to be that person._

              I doubted that I would ever be able to make up for decades of neglect, but the child in me hoped that Josephine and I could become close once again. Ancient memories of bare feet slapping against hardwood floors while we ‘ran away’ from the ‘monster’- our father wearing a blanket- crept up, further ruining my decaying mood.

              _How different would things have been if their company never really took off? If they just stayed working under Grandmother? Would they have given us all the proper love and care we needed? Would Father be the one walking Josephine down the aisle?_

….

              _Would Josephine even have met Sans? She was driven to the bitties out of a need to protect borne from her harsh childhood. She might never have become the bitty lady if she didn’t have parts of herself that needed healing._

              Josephine had to think about that often- especially after she gained her little ‘talent’. The idea that my twin could easily control space and time left my teeth on edge, and I could tell that it wore on her just as much. She didn’t seem eager about her ‘talent’- in fact, I’d say she hated it. There was a visible relief in her whenever she remembered that keeping the power for herself meant that others couldn’t abuse it however.

              _“Phine always gets the good presents!” My five year old foot stomped on the ground. Grandmother- who had already begun to grow weary of my antics- fought the urge to roll her eyes, “Why can’t I get anything that nice?”_

_“Perhaps you would if you were half as good as she was.” Grandmother retorted dryly, rubbing her temples in an attempt to soothe a growing headache, “She doesn’t throw fits like this.”_

_**But she**_ **does _Granny!_** _I wanted to shout. **She does all the time! You just don’t see it.**_

_It wouldn’t matter though. Even back then, Grandmother had already selected a favorite between the two of us._

              My hands tightened on the wheel.

              “Yes…she does get everything doesn’t she?” I mumbled bitterly.

              She got the kind bitties who easily gave and accepted affection. She got the loving fiancé and soon-to-be husband that would never leave her. She got the loyal friends ready to jump to her defense in a heartbeat. She got the love. She got the fame.

              I got the broken bitties who hesitated at the slightest amount of affection. I got the piece of shit ex-husband and worrisome relationship with a younger, _much_ more naïve man. I got the backstabbers and traitors circling around my head like vultures. I got the hate. I got the infamy.

              “We sound like some kind of literary foil.” I snorted, finding small amusement at my situation, “Wouldn’t that make a lovely story- one twin who started with nothing ends with everything while her opposite started with everything and ends with nothing?”

              The insane desire to drive my car into an approaching 18-wheeler almost took me over. That brief snap back into reality reminded me that I really needed to get back to my suitcase- and other people.

              Grayridge wasn’t a welcome sight for once. Too many memories plagued the large city, driving me deeper into my internal spiral of depression. My hands shook. My eyes watered. I could feel myself on the verge of snapping. As much as I tried to rationalize it all away for practicality’s sake, the pain crawled under my skin like bugs, begging to be ripped out by something sharp.

              The people in the hotel lobby seemed more than a little annoyed when I barged through, practically trampling them in an attempt to just get back to my room. They wouldn’t understand. They couldn’t understand. They couldn’t understand how every window looked like a door to sanctuary. They couldn’t understand how the buildup seemed to keep rising and rising with each beat of my heart, threatening to consume me at a moment’s notice. My legs almost turned into jelly when I reached the floor that had my room on it.

              _Ba-bump._

For once in my life, I was clumsy in heels.

              _Ba-bump. Ba-bu-_

I couldn’t decide whether or not I needed to stay in the room or just leave after-

              _Ba-bump ba-bump_

..after…after…

              The sound of the door clicking behind me pulled me from the lapse. I lost the ability to support my own body weight and slumped down against the door. Tears finally fell as the remains of my fraying nerves snapped.

              _My medicine. My medicine…_

              It made me feel like a numb, useless husk of a person, but I needed it off…it…it…these…these things…these emotions crawling under my skin. They needed to go. The medicine made them go. They needed to leave, leave me alone.

              “Hey…you…”

              _Medicine. Medicine. Need to make it go away._

_Have to make it go away…otherwise, they’ll try to crawl out, and it’ll hurt so bad._

              “HEY!” A voice roared at me. A powerful set of teeth bit into my hand.

              The spear of pain traveling up my arm forced my eyes open. Sparta looked up at me with a narrowed eye while Julius bit down on my hand again.

              “What the hell…?” Sparta raised a brow.

              “My medicine…” I breathed.

              “Oh…right.” Sparta snorted, “Don’t start bawling now. The others are asleep. They stayed up too long trying to wait for you to get back and finally passed out. I’ll go get the damn bottle. Hey. Bonehead, go get her some water- she shouldn’t take it dry.”

              Julius let out an annoyed huff, but did as Sparta ordered.

              I watched in fascination as the desk drawer duo appeared to have an entire conversation through body language and facial expressions. The exact feelings they were expressing couldn’t be pinned down, but my gut told me that they weren’t happy at how I was acting. The pill and a small glass of water were unceremoniously handed to me. The two bitties watched me with burning eyes as I took my medication.

              “Sans called us earlier. Grillby got really upset.” Sparta nudged me with one of her bare feet, “What happened?”

              “Grandmother passed.” I responded, my throat still a little rough from downing a lot of water to get the pill down. _I’ve never had issues taking it before…_ “She’s dead. Josephine and Olivia aren’t exactly taking it well.”

              “looks like you aren’t either.” Julius kicked me, “is that where you ran off to on your own?”

              “It was.” I nodded.

              “Don’t do that again.” Sparta ordered. I blinked in confusion, “Don’t leave us behind again. Every time you run off on your own, you play the martyr and come back more than a little fucked up. At least we can help you keep your head on straight if we’re there.”

              “You…actually care.” I slumped forward, exhaustion settling in, “About me?”

              The two bitties flushed bright blue and red briefly.

              “Hmph.” Sparta looked away from me.

              “you’re our human bitch. what the fuck did you expect?” Julius grumbled, gently prodding me with his hand this time. I could tell my rather insensitive question had bothered the two, “what? we ain’t good enough because we don’t cover you in kisses and call you mama?”

              “No.” I waved my hands like I could shift away the misconception with the motion, “No. No…I just…you’ve never….Ugh…I can’t even really think right now.” I dropped my head into my hands.

              “Listen, Sans got everything done on his own. They just need someone to help manage the first few things tomorrow.” Sparta jabbed her thumb over her shoulder, “Why don’t you crawl in bed with the rest and grab a nap. You look ready to fall to pieces.”

              “That’s a good idea.” I rubbed my face, thankful that I hadn’t had any time to put make-up on, “That’s  a very good idea…”

              “Quit with the depressed repetition and go cuddle with the fire monster already!” Sparta bit me.

              “Alright, alright.” I grumbled, standing up on shaky and stiff (how they could be both was beyond me) legs. My mind pieced together what she said, “Fire monster?”

              Sure enough, Grillby’s lithe form was stretched out on my bed. He still wore his jeans, but he didn’t have a shirt on. I could see some of my bitties sleeping on his exposed back. He didn’t stir as I approached, despite the amount of noise I was making. My heart thudded when I noticed he had one of my shirts curled up with him.

              “Grillby…” I murmured, sitting down on the bed and running one of my hands through his hair, “You’re here too?”

              “he hasn’t left us since you wandered off.” Julius grunted when Sparta launched him onto the bed, “you asked him to look after us- remember?”

              “Right.” I smiled at his sleeping form. Broken laughter tumbled from my chapped lips. I pressed a sweet kiss the side of his head and basked in his warmth.

              Every part of him seemed to chase away my demons in some way.

              The heat of his skin and hair warmed my chilled fingers. The gentle sounds of his rumbling breathing covered up the self-deprecating soundtrack in my mind. His relaxed, gentle face easily enraptured me and kept my eyes on him for a couple of minutes. Grillby was literally a light in the darkness.

              I didn’t strip down completely, but I did remove most of my clothing. When I just wore my underwear and button up, I crawled under the blankets and tugged the shirt away from Grillby. He grunted and grasped for it until his hand fell on my shoulder. Sleepily, the warm appendage traced up and down my arm before wrapping around my waist and pulling me close. I immediately relaxed into the embrace and let out a soft noise of approval.

              For the first time since the LOAD, I actually got some proper sleep- not the panicky, uncomfortable bursts of dozing that I had been passing for sleep at Grandmother’s house. No, I sank deep into slumber with a smile.

              When I awoke, it was in a lazy haze.

              I could feel Grillby’s feet anxiously twitched where our legs were entangled. He had slid one arm under me to hold me close while his other free hand stroked back my short hair. My bitties had also woken up at some point during my slumber. Saphenous nipped my chin when he noticed that I was awake. The brief flicker of pain made me twitch just enough to alert the others.

              “Miss Nadia.” Adonis ran one of his hands across my eyebrows. Copper leaned heavily against my skull and tugged on some of my hair sharply, “How are you feeling?”

              “A lot better than I did when I got back.” I murmured. Cesar had wriggled his way under one of my arms. He clung to my forearm with one hand while the other wrapped around Babylon’s waist, “I was told that you all tried to wait up for me as much as you could. Thank you for the effort.”

              “we heard about the old bag.” Copper’s slightly sharp finger bones traced gentle lines into my scalp. He often did the same thing to Babylon whenever something bothered him. The affectionate tick made me smile just a touch, “not exactly the response i was expecting…”

              “Sorry.” My face fell, “Your hand just felt nice. Yes. My grandmother died. Josephine and Olivia stayed to get the rest of her affairs settled. I’m…holding myself together.”

              I heard Grillby say my name. Despite the fact it would bare my entire throat to a rather grumpy looking Saphenous, I turned my head back to look at the fire monster. Grillby’s eyes seemed a little more sunken in and dim than usual.

              “Yes?” I asked. His brows knitted together. Mouth opening to speak, his face flashed through a variety of emotions. Ultimately, he just buried his face into the area where my neck and shoulder joined, “Grillby?” I raised a hand to rub his head soothingly. The fire monster mumbled a series of fast words into my skin, raising goose bumps without meaning too, “Grillby.”

              “MOTHER.” Cesar frowned at where my arm was no longer sitting in his lap, protected from the form.

              “Jealousy isn’t your color dear.” I would’ve bent down to kiss the top of his head, but he probably would’ve bitten me for it, “Now, can someone help me try to figure out what is it I’ve done to break my fiery companion here.”

              “He probably got the least amount of sleep.” Adonis replied, still stroking my eyebrow like it was some kind of pet. _This is probably his way of dealing with not being there for me….like how Copper seems almost ready to weave a nest out of my hair and stay in it for the rest of my life._

              “Is that true Grillby?” I questioned the fire monster.

              “Niiiighhhtttmmaaares.” Grillby muttered. I could feel his face pull into a slight snarl before softening as he tugged me even closer, “Not with yooouu.”

              “So that’s why you were clinging to one of my shirts like a glorified stalker.” I mused. Grillby’s warm blush almost burned my skin.

              “How can you even joke at a time like this?” Babylon grumbled, tugging on my shirt.

              “Practice.” I responded dully, “And lots of it.”

              Once a person got used to life kicking them when they were down, it was very hard for that person to be able to go on expressing normal emotions and behaviors. We were trapped in a near catatonic state of dull, emotionless expressions and sturdiness that worried a lot of our close friends. Honestly, I was surprised that I had enough emotions to even break down at all.

              “I took my medication.” I yawned, “That’s why.”

              “You shouldn’t have left without your medication.” Adonis chided me, “That can’t be healthy for you.”

              “It probably isn’t.” I agreed, nodding along as Adonis continued to scold me.

              Like Sparta had told me, I didn’t need to be anywhere that night. Thus, Grillby and I literally spent the rest of the evening lounging around in the bed, only moving to get something to drink or go to the restroom. My skin began to feel disgusting after two days without a proper shower, so I excused myself.

              While the shower grew hot, I stared at my reflection in the mirror. The revelations and outcomes of the past few days showed on my body. The curves I practically killed myself for seemed thinner than usual- my face was gaunter. Dead, flat, gray eyes stared back at me, unblinking.

              “You look like shit.” I told myself honestly before crawling into the shower.

              Sadly, the pristine, hot waters couldn’t purge my skin of the past few days, but it did relax the tension building in my muscles. I heard Grillby slip into the bathroom while I toweled off still inside the shower.

              “Grillby?” I questioned. He made a humming noise.

              I stepped out of the shower wrapping my hair up in a towel crown. Grillby- ever the gentleman- kept his gaze locked on my face instead of venturing downwards.

              “Did you need something?” I questioned, cocking my head. He held up his cellphone.

              “No. I just worried about you.” He paused before adding, “I know humans find showers relaxing, but I still wanted to make sure you were genuinely doing okay.”

              “I’m holding myself together. Thank you for worrying though.” I reached up and stroked his cheek gently, “It means a lot”

              “Please let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.” Grillby told me, mouth firmly set into a straight line.

              “Could you just hold me after I get myself dried off?” It was an innocent enough of a request, “I think we both could use more proper sleep.”

              Grillby nodded in agreement.

              There was no rest for the wicked….

              ….unless the wicked had a hot monster wrapped around them like a skin-tight, leather sheath.


	33. Wedding Wager

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> So to prevent myself from melting down. I'm going to only push myself to write two chapters a day (I still have plenty of time to get the last few chapters of Burned out by the end of February). If I write more, great. If not, content is still being produced. :P  
> I'm actually looking forward to March/April. I'll be doing a series of smaller stories instead of these long ones (The Shin rewrite, Ty's story, Laron's story, Jaime's story....maybe something for Bobby. I'm still undecided on him) that really take a lot out of me to write because I have to think 20 chapters ahead most of the time. I also plan on using more bitties I've found during my searches as well (new bitty types are always fun).  
> Anywho, hope you enjoy!

              The wedding most certainly had a more somber air about it. The guests in attendance understood that Grandmother wouldn’t want Josephine to push back the date and tried their best to keep the mood light. Tyrone Jones and Nagihiko Watanabe could be seen fluttering about Josephine, trying their best to brighten her mood. It was actually kind of sweet to see how many people who actually knew my twin try and make her wedding what it was supposed to have been from the get go. Even Olivia tried her best to hold herself together to not drag the mood down any further. Papyrus definitely acted as the sunny heart of the whole event though. He’d been reduced to tears when he found out about it, but he snapped out of it soon enough to practically crush my sisters into a bear hug.

              “It’s good to see that this might not be a depressing as I feared.” Adonis fixed his tie while my bitties and I watched the small crowd of people surrounding Josephine and Olivia, “They’re smiling at least.”

              “Mmm…” I nodded in agreement.

              “MOTHER?” Cesar’s low voice caught my attention. He was glaring out of some of the windows.

              The venue Josephine selected was a nice country club with a garden built around a center atrium. The windows extended from floor to ceiling, making it feel like you were in the garden instead of a room while still providing indoor comforts like AC and no bugs. The gardens connected to another building where Sans and some of the others were still setting the last few things up for the reception after the wedding. The wedding would take place right after the sun set in order to allow the beautiful, painstakingly hung lights in the garden outside would light up the interior. There was one big issue with this venue however.

              It didn’t come with any kind of security.

              “what the fuck is wrong with those assholes?” Copper grumbled, struggling to not flip off the paparazzi watching the rest of the wedding party finish setting up the atrium for the wedding, “can we _not_ have a bunch of jackasses trying to snoop in on family business?”

              “Some would argue that my sisters and I _have_ to welcome this because we’re public figures.” The sentence was bitter on my tongue. Everyone wanted privacy at some point, and in this tender, vulnerable moment for my family, it was the one damn thing we really needed, “Hmph. We’re going to get rid of them.” I declared, standing up, “I won’t allow them to ruin the remains of this wedding.”

              “can we break their shit?” Julius’s eyes sparkled.

              “No.” I clucked my tongue as I sat him down on my bare shoulder. It was odd to wear a sleeveless dress with my bitties, but the sensation of their clothing rubbing against my skin quickly grew normal- and comforting, “That would be assault and quite crass. There are other ways to get rid of miscreants.”

              “What are we going to do?” Babylon asked as Cesar helped him get on to my crossed arms. Saphenous had been perched on my head since we came back to the venue, so I didn’t really have to worry about putting him somewhere. All of the new people, sounds, and smells drove him up the wall. Apparently, I was even more ‘frightening’ with a little killer hunkered down on my head hissing at people ‘for no reason’. _Who on earth is nice when they have a migraine?_

              “Be civil.” I answered vaguely and double checking to make sure I could slip out without drawing any attention from my sisters. Julius and Sparta rolled their eyes at me, tugging on some of my hair for my evasion, “Be nice you two.”

              “’Be nice you two’.” Sparta mockingly repeated.

              “Do we need to have another long discussion?” Adonis asked, a picture of terrifying patience, “It would have to be shortened due to the wedding, but I promise to make it just as sweet.”

              “uh…no…” Julius mumbled. He and Sparta fell silent quickly after that. Copper let out a pleased snort when Adonis let out a slow, annoyed breath.

              “I’m glad their antics entertain you.” Adonis wrapped an arm around Capper. The brassberry tensed and growled at little at the sudden display of affection, “Is your back hurting?” Adonis’s ears flattened back in concern.

              “no.” Copper leaned away a little bit. Adonis caught on to what was going on and let out an amused chuckle. Copper almost fell off of my shoulder when the slick fireroyal pressed a gentle kiss to his neck, “h-hey!”

              “Ugh.” Babylon closed his eyes and made a face, “Can you two please just…not?” His face was an embarrassed shade of bright pink.

              “i’m not the one doing it though.” Copper protested, “i can’t help it if mcclingy here likes to get all up in my personal space.”

              “FUNNY….CONSIDERING OTHER SITUATIONS.” Cesar responded dryly, “I COULD’VE SWORN I HEARD YOU BEGGING FOR HIM TO BE CLOSER A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO…”

              Copper took out my earring and threw it at the boss, nailing Cesar in the back of the head with ease- and breaking my earring.

              “Really Copper?” I angled my head to glower at the aggravated brassberry, “I needed that earring.”

              “what? just start a new fashion trend or something.” He stuck his tongue out at me.

              “No cheesecake for you. Julius, please- carefully and gently- remove my other earring.” I ordered. My opening to slide out came right as Julius tugged it out of my ear. He held it in his hands awkwardly before tossing it to Sparta who just threw it to the side. _At least those weren’t expensive. I’d have to throttle these little pests otherwise._

              Getting rid of the paparazzi was as difficult as I imagined it would be. They kept badgering me with questions like “What about Persephone Arietta’s death?” “How can you all be so cold?” “Have you no hearts?” instead of actually listening to what I was saying. Eventually, I had to threaten to go get the bridezilla who- unlike me- didn’t give a shit about breaking someone’s expensive recording equipment. They all cleared out in record time.

              “Nadia?”

              I looked back behind me and saw Olivia standing in the door way to the atrium. She cradled Willoughby and Harley’s offspring in her hands carefully as she approached. I saw an annoyed snarl cross my little, angelic sister’s face when she watched the last few members of the paparazzi scurry off in a hurry.

              “Were they seriously trying to bug us during Josephine’s wedding?” Olivia huffed. “I swear. Have people completely forgotten about common decency?”

              “We’re in an age where everyone has a camera and access to anonymity. There will always be rude individuals determined to bother others.” I adjusted Babylon’s weight on my arm, “Josephine didn’t notice?”

              “No. She’s been taken back to the waiting room. The ceremony’s going to start in ten, so Sans and the others are going to coming in soon.” Olivia chewed her lips a little, “I was wondering if you could hold the triplets? Asgore has his hands full with the others, so…”

              “Sure.” I almost regretted my automatic words, “Willoughby looked a little haggard earlier. is everything alright?”

              “We’ve just started using this new medicine to see if it can help his back some. It leaves him really tired.” Olivia explained, “His back is starting to heal a little though.”

              “A new medicine for back injuries?” I cocked my head.

              “Sans came up with it while working on something else- a determination ray? I don’t know. It’s still experimental though.” Someone called out for Olivia, “Oh. I need to go. Thank you so much for watching them.” She handed the little toddlers to Babylon and Cesar before scurrying off.

              “WHAT…?” Cesar looked down at the two small bitties staring up at him. The livelier one bounced on Babylon’s lap, wide eyes taking in Babylon’s face. The two subdued ones sitting with Cesar weren’t as fussy.

              “He’s cute.” Babylon smiled just a hair, “I think…this one is Silk. If I’m remembering their names properly…”

              “When did you hear their names?” Adonis cocked his head.

              “Tinsel and Atlantic dragged me around with them when we were helping them all set up. Lace introduced me.” Babylon rocked the toddler with his one arm soothingly, rubbing his forehead against Silk’s, “Hey there Silk. It’s good to see you again. Your brothers are looking good.”

              “WHAT ARE THEIR NAMES?” Cesar frowned down at the two blank faced offspring.

              “The one with two malformed eyes is Suede. The one with one good eye is Satin.” Babylon leaned over, “Suede is right arm, Satin left.”

              “AH…” Cesar seemed to be at a loss at what to do with the small children.

              “oh for fuck’s sake. pass them up here if you’re just going to be a dumbass.” Copper reached down for the little ones, “if they start crying during the ceremony, josephine’s going to kill us.”

              Cesar handed the two offspring over in a daze.

              “that’s a bad sign if i’ve ever seen one.” Julius snorted.

              “Cesar, be careful. Silk is-“ Babylon was cut off by Silk reaching out and yanking on Cesar’s tie, “- fascinated by your tie.”

              “HEY…” Cesar grumbled, angling his head down some to be at eye level with the toddler. Silk blinked at him, “THAT WAS VERY IMPOLITE TO DO. YOU COULD’VE TORN MY TI-“

              Silk tugged at his eye patch and poked at the empty socket.

              “REALLY?” Cesar sighed. Babylon began to laugh, “I’M GLAD THAT YOU FIND THIS AMUSING YOU LITTLE MINX. NOW, PLEASE GET THE TINY HAND OUT OF MY EYE SOCKET.”

              “Nadia.” Nagihiko Watanabe waved his hand to get my attention, “You should take a seat. We’re starting soon.”

              “Sure.” I nodded.

              Somehow, I ended up sitting towards the front of the atrium. People from Josephine’s life- Karli, Velour, some of her artist friends, and so on- filled in the seats quickly. Eventually, there weren’t enough seats, so people began to simply stand. No one seemed bothered at all. They smiled and chatted with each other, applauding everyone’s efforts to get the wedding ready despite the hardships our family was facing. The sheer amount of support left me more than a little stunned.

              _Well. I guess the family gremlin does have her charms._

              I didn’t even need to turn around to know that Josephine looked beautiful. The soft murmurs of the crowd and Sans’s eyes quickly flickering to hearts told me enough. In all honesty, both of the fools looked more than a little dopey. Josephine’s eyes were still a little red from crying, but the gentle, almost silly smile made up for it. My heart twisted a little, seeing the open affection between the two of them.

              _They look good together._ I decided.

              I could already see them twenty years from now. A successful artist married to an equally successful scientist with who knows how many kids. They were the family other families looked up to and had the home that all parents’ loved sending their children to for sleep overs. Greyson would grow up in that loving, warm environment surrounded by the kind of care I could never really hope to give him. Josephine’s bitties would more than likely grow their numbers more by that point as well. They’d be the perfect little fucking family.

              _Josephine…I hate you so much sometimes._

              Putting aside my petty jealousy, I found myself enjoying the ceremony. The two had opted to write their own vows, creating a hilarious mess when Sans began to make a pun every two sentences- much to Josephine’s annoyed amusement. I’d never heard her become so syrupy before either. She practically sounded like she belonged in one of those romance novels in the shoes of a dopey teenager pledging her love for another.

              _This will be blackmail in the years to come….There’s just so much material to work with._

              Needless to say, we were all amused watching the scarred-up, burly, pregnant woman act like she was 15. Well…except for the poor unlucky soul who caught the bouquet and got a nice jump scare. The scream- followed by annoyed laughter- made Josephine actually chuckle for the first time in the past few days. I could still see the pain of losing Grandmother on her face though. No matter how cheerful the wedding seemed, the old bag’s shadow still hung in the corners of the place.

              The reception hall had much more room than the atrium, and it was obvious people were glad to finally have some leg room. Food and drink- provided by Chez Newmore of course- filled the room with delicious scents and sights. My own bitties descended upon the feast happily after I made sure to return the triplets to Olivia.

              Tyrone tried his best to get Josephine out on the dance floor, but my two left foot possessing twin practically melded herself into a wall to avoid dancing. It took Tyrone, Nagihiko, and Sans combined to slowly coax her out on the dance floor for one or two dances. Olivia had been tugged up by Asgore for a nice, romantic slow dance in one of the corners of the reception area. The two seemed to develop their own little world despite the chaotic music and dancing happening around them.

              I watched my sisters and bitties enjoy themselves from a dark corner of the reception area.  I had never been one for parties with no purpose. My waltzing skills and quick wit would do nothing in this club-like atmosphere besides make things awkward. Still, the event was enjoyable to watch none the less. Thankfully, Raze and Copper seemed to be fine with each other as long as they were on opposite sides of the room. Julius and Sparta also avoided getting into trouble, but I honestly think that my twin’s two little hybrids trailing after them curiously had something to do with their good behavior. It was either Tinsel and Atlantic or their two carrier parents glowering at the desk drawer duo that kept them in line. I didn’t know which for sure, but I really couldn’t bring myself to care too much.

              “Nadiaa.”

              Grillby’s light was almost too bright for the dark area I had laid claim too. Grillby frowned at me, sitting down beside me. In an instant, a small bubble of our own seemed to pop up.

              _I wonder if this is how Olivia feels…_

              “Yes?” I looked over at Grillby, cocking my head. Sadly, the LOAD had taken away the two days of sweet bliss we had had together, but I full intended on making sure to replace those days in the weeks to come. Grillby stayed silent, “Is something the matter?”

              “I just feel like I’m having a déjà vu moment.” Grillby’s phone had to be dimmed after I read the blinding response, “Sorry.” He blushed bright orange, “What happens next Nadia? With us?”

              “Why…whatever you want to happen.” I blinked at him slowly, “I won’t push you into something you don’t want, but I will say that I….greatly enjoy your company…and….I….wouldn’t mind expanding our relationship more- if that doesn’t bother you.”

              “Of course it doesn’t!” Grillby almost dropped the phone on my lap in his insistence, “I would like that too.”

              “I’d say let’s take things slow, but we kind of already skipped a few steps.” I sighed and smiled at him fondly, “But that doesn’t mean we can go around the bases again to make up for it.”

              “Good.” Grillby said a little too eagerly. Realizing what he sounded like, the fire monster went an even brighter shade of red and slumped back in his seat some, “Sorry. That sounded desperate didn’t it?”

              “Not really. Unless you’ve forgotten, I’m the old cougar preying on a younger man.” I teased, nudging his calf with the toe of my foot, “I don’t really think that makes you the desperate one in this relationship.”

              “You’re not old enough to be a cougar.” Grillby protested.

              “Grillby…” I closed my eyes and smiled a little while the fire monster began to type out a long reply, “Honestly…” I reached over and grabbed his tie. Grillby looked up at me in confusion until I dragged him closer to me. When we were centimeters away from each other, he got the memo.

              The warm corner I had secluded myself off to quickly became a much brighter place with him in it. Grillby pulled back, more than a little bashful at the very public kiss.

              “Really? Macking on him here of all places? What am I going to find you bent over a urinal next?”

              _Goddamit Josephine. You are why I cannot have nice things!_

              My gaze snapped over at my smug looking twin. Sans was snickering behind her.

              “You might. I could always go fly off to your honeymoon hotel and borrow the bed for about ten minutes as well.” I shot back.

              “Hey, you’d be doing it for the second time around.” Josephine shrugged.

              “You…” My eye twitched a little, “Really? _Really_?”

              “Really.” She bent down and stuck her tongue out at me playfully before pulling back, a cross expression coloring her face, “Why did you have Granny take you out of the will?”

              The fun mood crashed briefly. I steeled myself up before finally responding:

              “I didn’t want to take money from her. I want to make my own path.” My answer was genuine, but I could see it still chaffed Josephine’ s morals, “I’m fine Josephine- really. I don’t need that money. I’ll make it myself.”

              “Oh really?” Josephine raised a brow.

              “Really. In fact….let’s make a wager. I’ll double her net worth in less than thirty years.” I leant back in my chair and crossed my arms, “No. Triple it. $10,000 sound good enough?”

              “Pfft. You’re on bitch.” Josephine and I shook hands, “I would love to see you try to do that from your little office in Berken’s place.”

              “Don’t get too used to that image dear.” I squeezed her hand threateningly, “It won’t cage me forever you know.”

              “Do you two really got to do this now?” Sans sighed, wrapping his arms around Josephine’s waist, sliding under her pregnant stomach, “I think some of our guests are wondering if there’s going to be a complimentary cat fight alongside the reception.”

              “Naadia.” Grillby mumbled at me, tangling one of his hands with mine.

              “We’re just having some fun you two.” Josephine rolled her eyes, patting one of Sans’s cheeks, “Overreacting little buggers. The both of you.”

              “Agreed.” I sighed, “Well…you do need to go tend to your other guests. Shoo brat.” I waved my hand dismissively.

              “Yeah yeah. Go fuck yourself too.” Josephine snorted, flipping me off. She was walking away when she looked over her shoulder to call back, “Make sure to let me know when my bitty nephew is born! I mean it!”

              “Josephine!” Babylon complained while she laughed.

              I took a deep, steadying breath.

              “Ugh.” I leant against Grillby’s arm and looked around at the party, “…hmph…I hate this thi- What are you doing?” Grillby tugged me up and towards the dance floor, “What? Grillby. No.”

              Monsters really had to be magical.

              I could think of no other explanation as to why I actually….ugh…danced like I was clubbing with Grillby- to my sisters’ twisted, sick senses of humor. My bitties- of course- made sure to photograph the scene.

              _I hate you all so much._

_…._

_You loveable little shits._


	34. Fuku's Admission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> I ended up watching Suicide Squad with my Dad last night, so I didn't write up this chapter then.  
> Anywhoo, going to walk a bit then work on the next two chapters. I'm actually about to have to switch over to a new word document (once they start getting too long, the program lags like crazy) to finish this story up XD

              “Fuku, did you even study?” I stared at the horrible quiz in my hands, “If this had been an official quiz, it could’ve seriously damaged your grade.”

              Fuku looked down at her hands guiltily. The slight slouch to her shoulders and low angle of her head told me that she wanted to say something, but she didn’t quite know how to say it. Perhaps she wanted me to grow impatient and take her opportunity to speak from her. I wasn’t about to let her get off that easily though. Instead, I crossed my legs and waited. If I could wait for a finicky businessman to decide on a deal, I could wait for her to open her mouth.

              “I…I…um…” Fuku flushed bright green, “I…don’t really want to go into business.”

              I cocked my head.

              “Then why did you decide on it to be your major?” I pursed my lips.

              “I…” Fuku bit her lip before letting out a sigh and slumping in the couch, “Grillby can’t open his business because no one wants to invest in someone who doesn’t have a business degree. It doesn’t matter that he had one of the most successful businesses in the Underground. They want someone with a piece of paper. I thought that he might be able to open a restaurant again if I got a business degree and opened it with him.”

              “That’s a very honorable goal, but I have the feeling you’ve changed your mind?” I raised a brow, “I’m not going to judge you for not locking yourself into a job you’ll hate Fuku. You can tell me.”

              “I was fine with it at first.” Fuku scratched the back of her neck nervously, “But then…I…um…started…uh…talking with someone. He’s…um…”

              “He?” A small smile crossed my lips none the less, “I see. You’ve started to fall for someone haven’t you?” My smile turned into a frown, “Is he the one discouraging you? Someone like that isn’t worth your time.”

              “No. No.” Fuku shook her head, “He’s just…I…um…uggh…” Fuku rubbed at her temples.

              “Miss Nadia? Miss Fuku?” Adonis’s voice cut through our moment. I looked up and saw a human-sized Adonis gently set down one of my nice tea sets, “I thought perhaps something to drink would help.”

              “Thank you Adonis.” I smiled gingerly at him, “Your thoughtfulness is appreciated.”

              “Thank you Miss Nadia.” Adonis’s tail flicked- just a hair- in happiness. Noticing the mood of the room, his ears flattened a little, “Is something the matter?”

              “Fuku has just admitted to me that she doesn’t wish to be a business major. She’s also admitted there is a man in her life as well.” I locked my gaze with Fuku’s, “However, she refuses to speak more on the subject.”

              “We’re not like _that_.” Fuku argued, “He’s married. We’ve just become really good friends. I met him in a busy café one day while gushing over my new history book with my friends. He likes history too, and we started talking.”

              “So do you want to be a history major then?” _That won’t get you a good job in the long run._ My mind tried to think of ways to spin this around to lessen the financial burden on the family.

              “Yes. I’d love to be an archaeologist.” Fuku’s green flames brightened to a lovely emerald color, “Going around and finding other ancient civilizations…What if the Underground was just one place for monsters? What if there were more across the world? I’d love to do that….” She fell off into a smiling haze.

              “Fuku…” I sighed, “How do you like your tea?”

              “Oh. Some milk and three sugars packet- you have cubes.” Fuku’s eyes widened. Adonis chuckled some as he poured some milk into mine and handed it to me.

              “Why of course. What do you think I am?” I chuckled, “I refuse to use _packets._ Ugh. They’re absolutely vile. I can’t stand them.”

              “I see…um…two sugar cubes then.” Fuku watched in amazement as Adonis quickly prepared it, “You know how to make tea Adonis?”

              “I had to learn from Cyan, but I do now.” Adonis handed her her cup of tea, “Thankfully, he was a very patient teacher.”

              “Hmm….a very good one too.” I sipped on the tea, “I can only make good coffee, so the occasional cup of tea is very refreshing.” Fuku made a noise of agreement, “Thank you Adonis.”

              “Of course. I’d better go check on Copper. His back hurt worse than usual this morning.” Adonis glanced towards the bedroom door, “Has he come out at all?”

              “No.” I shook my head, “I was actually about to go send one of these two-“ I poked at the desk drawer duo sleeping on the little shelf below the coffee table where things like magazines were supposed to go, “- to go check on him. Please let me know if something is wrong.”

              Adonis nodded in response. He smiled politely at Fuku before leaving to go check on his unruly mate.

              “Now, how long are you going to hold me in suspense?” I questioned Fuku, “Who’s this mystery man? I promise I won’t tell Grillby.”

              “Um…that’s the other thing….He’s Robert.” Fuku said it like I was supposed to know that name.

              “Who?” I raised a brow, “You’re acting like I’m supposed to know him.”

              “Bobby.” Fuku said while I was mid-sip.

              _Bobby…BOBBY?_

              I choked a little bit on my tea, causing Fuku to panic. She patted me on the back to help me calm down my coughing fit.

              “Bobby…as in…Bobby Louis- Robert Michael Louis?” I used one of the napkins Adonis had left for us to clean up my chin and lips, “My _cousin_?”

              “Yes…” Fuku bashfully scooted a little further away from me.

              My mind went to my extremely plain cousin. Unlike Thomas, who had thrived on the competition between Clara and Catherine Arietta, Bobby tended to simply not care. I suppose being the odd man out would make anyone silent. He didn’t have the charms Thomas did, the talent Josephine did, the skills I did, or the beauty Olivia did. He was an average man born into a family of outliers, and his quiet, studious personality reflected that. Sometimes when I was younger and more imaginative, I had wondered if aliens swooped down and replaced him with a robot because of just how bland he could be.

              “He’s a history buff?” I couldn’t remember Bobby having any particular interests growing up.

              “Oh yes! He has a lot of information on ancient civilizations memorized. We just traded books a couple of days ago.” Fuku tugged out a book on the ancient Romans, “He gave me this one. He’s annotated it- see?”

              She flipped through and showed me all of the simple annotations in the margins of the book. The annotations weren’t funny or silly. They were quick, concise, and clean- often referencing other books to find more information on certain topics.

              _Bobby…has a life?_

              “He’s a really good friend.” Fuku smiled down at the book, “I was so scared when I told him about what I wanted to actually do, but he was really supportive! He told me to not lock myself down into misery….I’m pretty sure he’s speaking from experience.” Fuku made a disgusted face, “His wife is a total bitch. I can’t stand her. She actually accused him of cheating on her with me when _everyone_ knows that she’s screwing five other guys! It’s so infuriating.”

              _…How do I know so little about my own family?_

              Years of being caught up in my parents’ schemes must’ve left me more isolated and cut off than I had imagined. I knew my cousin’s faces. I knew their standard reputations: Thomas the Womanizer, Bobby the Average Jo. One would think that information about my cousins’ marriages and home lives would be something I’d know right off the bat, yet there I sat, listening to Fuku rant about how much she disliked my cousin-in-law and how unhappy Bobby was in his marriage.

              _I’ll be making a phone call after this._

              “Anyways…” Fuku sighed, “I decided that I want to change my major…that’s why the score is so low…” She bit her lip, “I feel really bad about it though. I don’t want G to be stuck working another job because of me.”

              “That won’t happen.” I assured her. _Not on my watch._

“You’ll look after him then?” Fuku’s hopeful eyes lit up.

              “Of course.” That was never in doubt. Even if Grillby and I ended our romantic relationship tomorrow, I wouldn’t just abandon him to Greenridge’s streets to be abused, “I promise I’ll take care of him. If you think you can make a career out of your passions Fuku, please follow them.”

              “Thank you!” Fuku launched herself at me and hugged me tight, “I knew G picked a really nice lady to be his girlfriend.”

              I flushed red. Grillby and I- while we were in some kind of relationship- hadn’t quite defined ourselves with labels yet. Thus, being called his girlfriend definitely caught me off guard. Fuku misinterpreted my blush and began to tease me even more about my relationship with Grillby while we wrapped up our little meeting. She wouldn’t be needing my tutoring sessions any more, but she did ask that I continue helping the other students in her class. I promised her that I would.

              “Bye-bye!” Fuku kissed my cheek, “I’m sorry that I wasted your time today.”

              “You didn’t waste it.” I patted her hand comfortingly, “I had…fun. Be safe on your way home.”

              “Ughh…now you sound like G.” Fuku scrunched her nose up in an adorable fashion before giggling, “I’ll be okay. Let’s hang out again sometime.”

              “That would be nice.” I smiled, “Call me when you have some free time, and we’ll go out for lunch.”

              “Okay!” Fuku hugged me one last time before practically skipping down the hallway.

              “ **sooo….how is she going to tell grillby that a few thousand dollars just went down the drain?** ”

              I shut the door as Saphenous approached and climbed up my leg. The heady scent of iron and death clung to him more so than usual. He must’ve recently killed something. He perched himself on my shoulder within seconds.

              “I have no idea. That’s her problem.” I snorted, “I’m glad that she realized it wasn’t for her _before_ she went any further though. _That_ would’ve been a real problem.”

              “ **mmm…** ” Saphenous let out a blood scented burp.

              “Must you do that so close to my face?” I coughed a little.

              “ **wasn’t intentional. not my fault the rats just seem to be getting fatter.** ” Saphenous’s words mangled a bit when he tried to get a piece of bone from between his teeth.

              “That’s true I suppose. Do remember to dispose of anything you don’t eat properly. Adonis is getting tired of having to clean up after you.” I walked over to the coffee table and gathered up the teacups. After arranging everything on the tray neatly, I brought the items back to the kitchen to be washed properly. Checking the schedule Adonis had written out for chore distribution told me that Sparta and Julius were on dishes that evening, “Did you remember to dust this morning?”

              **“yes.** ” Saphenous shook out his coat some, causing a few bloody gobs of dust to fall down.

              “You really need a bath.” My nose wrinkled. I felt Saphenous tense.

              _You’ve only got one shot at grabbing him. Failure is not an option._

              I lunged for him at the same moment he jumped from my shoulder. My hand just _barely_ wrapped around him in time. He let out a low, annoyed hiss and bit down on my hand angrily before finally just giving up.

              “ **grrrr…** ” He grumbled, glaring at the bathroom door.

              “You can’t keep walking around smellin-“ I saw something I _really_ didn’t need to see after having a few cups of tea, “-and Cesar and Babylon are using this place right now. Mhm. Off to the kitchen sink we go.” I shut the door to the bathroom, trying my best to will away the blush on my face. Saphenous actually began to chuckle at my embarrassment.

              “ **think they noticed us?** ” He teased while I filled the kitchen sink, “ **hey…heeeeyy…you’re ignoring me no-** “

              I promptly dumped him- clothes and all- into the kitchen sink. He surfaced spluttering and shaking water off of his head. Before he could speak, I grabbed the dish soap and took off the cap. Saphenous hissed when large dollops of dish soap rained down on his head. The sink water had already turned a shade of pink with all of the blood coming off of him.

              “You are so filthy.” I sighed, “Alright. Time to get your clothes off. They’re probably already ruined, but I need to get the blood off of your ribs.”

              It took me about forty-five minutes to get a bitty small enough to fit on my hand clean. By the end of it, the cranky bloodyberry had cut me a few dozen times before just going limp in an attempt to annoy me. The sullen attempt at annoyance did make it a bit harder for me to clean him without drowning the little thing, but I eventually managed to scrub away most of the grime.

              “Huh. I forgot your bones are actually white.” I dried him off with a dish towel while the sink drained, “They’re usually covered in blood, guts, and dirt….” Saphenous glared at me, not saying a word, “You know. You actually look kind of cute like this.” His bladed hand flex a little, reminding me that this predator didn’t exactly enjoy being called cute, “Minus the bladed fingers of course.”

              “what in the stars are you doing?” Copper’s voice pulled my attention downwards. His slightly broken way of walking was more obvious, but the look in his eyes warned me not to comment on it.

              “Your son and Cesar were using the bathroom, but this one-“ I held up the Saphenous- dishtowel burrito, “-was in dire need of being cleaned. There aren’t many options.”

              “You actually managed to wrangle him into a bath?” Sparta yawned, walking into the kitchen with Julius trailing along behind him.

              “Barely.” I shrugged.

              “What is my son doing in the bathroom? The water in there could seriously injure him.” Copper frowned. I blushed a little. The desk drawer duo caught my blush and smirked.

              “Ahhh…he’s truly devious.” Sparta snickered.

              “where do you go to bang your boyfriend that your dad hates? the place he wouldn’t expect you to be.” Julius agreed.

              Copper paused, then turned a _lovely_ shade of angry light green.

              “oooohhh…i’m gonna kill that cocky little piece of shit.” Copper snarled.

              “You won’t be killing anyone.” Adonis, back to his usual size, stepped into the kitchen and picked Copper up. The brassberry yelped in protest at being removed from the floor so easily, “You _should_ be in bed resting. This is why I can’t ever leave you alone Copper. You always do what’s worse for your health.”

              “i’m not going to snap in half killing that little shit.” Copper protested, “he ain’t nothing.”

              “PARDON?” Cesar and Babylon strode into the kitchen. Babylon had taken to wearing some of Cesar’s shirts as his stomach grew. The height difference between them meant that poor Babylon was probably going to end up carrying a huge child, “I HEARD KILLING. WHAT DID I DO THIS TIME?”

              “why the fuck are you two-“ Copper was cut off by Adonis pressing a soft kiss to his lips. The sudden, soft affection stunned the brassberry into silence.

              “Your spine is making cracking noises.” Adonis’s voice was low and careful, but still threatening, “Please, calm down, or I will give you a sedative.”

              Copper pouted- silently at least.

              “ **can i go get some clothes now?** ” Saphenous nipped at my finger to get my attention, “ **it’s getting cold being wrapped up in just a dish towel.** ”

              “Please pick clean clothing.” I told him. He nodded in agreement, so I put him down still wrapped up to find something to wear, “Now, if Sparta and Julius are in here, I assume everyone is looking for something to eat for lunch?”

              “It’s your turn to cook.” Adonis nodded to the schedule, “I was wondering if you needed help.”

              “I’ll figure something out. Give me about twenty minutes.” I shooed them all out with my hand. As they began to leave, I added, “Babylon, Cesar, you better have cleaned up any mess you made in the bathroom.”

              Babylon blushed bright pink. Cesar almost tripped.

              I think he realized why Copper had been so upset with him.

              While making some simple sandwiches for my bitties and I, I pulled out my phone to make that call. Hoping Bobby hadn’t changed his number since the last time I called him, I called my cousin. A specific purpose evaded me, but at least one came to mind: I didn’t want Fuku being taken advantage of. I doubted Bobby had a malicious bone in his body. Malice came from emotions- one of the things he definitely lacked. Still, I needed to make sure that he wouldn’t give her potentially harmful advice.    

              “Robert Louis speaking.” The dull, almost automated voice on the other side of the phone actually held a small thread of annoyance, “If you’re another woman trying to contact my brother, you have the last few digits of his number incorrect. If this is a business inquiry, I will direct you to our secretary.”

              “I’m neither of those things Bobby. You should really check caller ID.” I told him flippantly, slicing tomatoes for the sandwiches.          

              “Nadia?” Bobby’s voice lost the thread of annoyance, but curiosity soon took its place, “Do you need something? Does Berken want to broker a deal with Arietta Southwest?”

              “This isn’t a business call.” He made a noise of shock, “I’m actually calling about Fuku- the monster girl you’ve become friends with.”

              “Ah. I know you’re involved with her cousin. Is something the matter? Does she need assistance?” His voice almost seemed to shake just a little.

              “No. I was just wondering what your intentions were.” I decided to cut to the chase.

              “There are no intentions. We’ve simply come to know each other through our shared enjoyment of history. Are you going to threaten me on her cousin’s behalf?” The annoyance was back again, “I’m a married man Nadia. Unlike some, I intend to uphold my vows and would never think of betraying them. Do not make assumptions because I’m Thomas’s brother.”

              “I wasn’t. I wasn’t. I just wanted to make sure Fuku would be safe.” I attempted to placate him.

              “Hmm…” The flatness in his voice almost seemed to hold a dangerous edge.

              Never before had I felt genuine….fearful discomfort when speaking with Bobby. Compared to Thomas, he’s always been the flat one, so hearing actual emotions- especially negative ones- in his voice threw me through a loop. Bobby ended the phone call saying that he had a meeting to attend.

              “That was bizarre.” I mused, looking down at my phone, “Very bizarre….”

              “Hey bitch! Where’s the grub? My stomach’s rumbling in here!” Sparta yelled at me from the living room.

              “I’m coming. I’m coming.” I called back.

              _Ah well. Fuku is capable of making her own decision. It’s not my concern._


	35. Developments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> aahhh...bridging chapters are always the worst to write because I can never tell if they're dull or not. I try to add in some comedy/cute stuff to make it suck less, but there's only so much you can do to hide the fact this chapter is essentially "we're moving onto the next plot, but I need to get this small thing out first for the following stuff to make sense, so fluffy chapter" XD

              Watching Babylon try to move around with a massive gut became an amusing pasttime of mine. He bristled any time I moved too close to try and help him get around, and moments like those reminded me that he was Copper’s son. Babylon even got moody when Cesar tried to help. Apparently, if Sparta and Julius could be trusted, his body felt like complete garbage and hurt when other people touched it. Thus, he mostly just wanted to be left alone to eat and sleep in peace.

              “Just fucking record it. It’ll fucking last longer.” Babylon grumbled at me as he finally reached the bag of chips he had been trying to get to.

              “Do you want to go to the CC? We could get you examined.” I offered, “I know that hybrid breeding is rough, but I doubt you should be in this much pain.”

              “I’m only a month into it.” Babylon huffed, “Of course it’s going to suck- especially since this little one seems hellbent on preventing me from getting any sleep.”

              “Mmm…” I said noncommittally. After the wedding, I had been stuck cleaning up the messes my coworkers made while I was away, so work had become my top priority over the last two weeks. Between work and tutoring, my poor bitties had kind of fallen off to the side. None of them appeared angry about it though. I hadn’t thrown them into a room and starved them after all, and they were all very independent, “Do you want me to make you some tea? It might help your stomach settle down some.”

              “…Please?” Babylon looked up at me, blue eye widening just a little.

              “Sure.” I bent down and kissed the top of his head. He giggled just a little and pushed my face away.

              “Nadia.” He complained, trying to rub off the lipstick stain on his skull.

              “What?” I teased, pressing another kiss down onto his arm.

              “Stop it.” He whined.

              “Stop what?” I blinked.

              “You’re so mean.” Babylon chuckled when I pressed another kiss to the side of his face, “Please just make me the tea. My stomach is hurting pretty bad right now.”

              Some part of me was tempted to call Josephine and ask for her advice on the whole situation. She had gone through this twice already, so she would have the most knowledge. The only thing stopping me was remembering that Josephine had her hands full with a bunch of work, the bitties, and Greyson because Sans had to leave town for a couple of days to go to some kind of conference.

              _I do hope she’s being conscious of her own limitations. There’s only so much one woman can do on her own._

              While Josephine most certainly tended to take the world by storm, it was only a matter of time before she shattered completely under the strain. She probably already had in the privacy of her own home with her bitties. The temptation to call her danced around my mind daily, but I knew any attempts at coddling would be rejected outright

              My phone beeped as I handed Babylon a bitty sized mug.

              **Berken:** Daniella will be returning tomorrow- unless you say otherwise. I won’t compromise your ability to work for an inferior worker.

              I frowned at the text and rolled my eyes.

              **Nadia:** Berken, it’ll honestly take more than someone like Daniella to hinder my work performance. Your favoritism is showing.

              **Berken:** So? You’re one of my best workers, and I want to keep you on my side- especially now since you know a good chunk of my company’s secrets.

              **Nadia:** You do remember I’ve signed around 10 NDAs correct? Besides, you gave me the best salary out of the offers I received. As long as I keep making that salary, I’m perfectly content.

              **Berken:** So I’m only good for my money hm?

              **Nadia:** Not like you’d be good for much else. Your family does have strong Asian ties right?

              **Berken:** Going for the stereotypes hm? Well, I suppose that makes sense for a snobby Frenchwoman.

              **Nadia:** I’m snobby? You’re the one who turned his nose up at some wine because it wasn’t old enough.

              **Berken:** This coming from the woman who won’t drink instant coffee or tea to save her life.

              **Nadia:** I must keep my palette somewhat refined Berken.

              “oi.” Julius tugged on my toes. He purposefully avoided looking at me since I only wore a comfortable nighty and short, silk robe, “sparta and i want some grub. what we got?”

              “Whatever is in the fridge.” I retorted. He made a face, “Quit being lazy and make your own food, or go bother Cesar. He’s on cooking duty today.”

              **Berken:** There’s refined and then there’s anal retentive

              **Nadia:** Uh huh…I distinctly remember you complaining about a hotel once because they didn’t iron your sheets to perfection once.

              **Berken:** Touché. Touché.

              “talking to the kid?” Julius grumbled while he rifled through the cabinets. I was still waiting on my hard-boiled egg.

              “Kid? Babylon just left to go lie down.” My brows furrowed.

              “talking about grillby. you’re smiling at your phone.” Julius nodded at the offending piece of technology.

              “Oh no. Berken and I are just having a bit of fun. It’s actually PG for once.” I snorted, “Apparently, Daniella will be continuing to work for Berken, so he wanted to warn me.”

              “that bitch is actually going to show her face after being gone for weeks?” Julius raised a brow, “she’s got some fucking nerve.”

              “One doesn’t go into this industry with balls of silk.” My egg finally finished, “Please don’t make a mess with all that food- _especially_ if you eat it in my underwear drawer. If I pull on a pair of my panties only to find cookie crumbs in them again, I’ll put locks on everything.”

              “yeah, yeah…” Julius flipped me off and scurried out of the kitchen before I could protest.

              **Berken:** In all seriousness though, please let me know if Daniella bothers you. I’m not going to tolerate continued workplace harassment from my employees. It reflects poorly on my business, and you already stress me out enough.

              **Nadia:** How on earth do I of all things stress you out?

              **Berken:** 1) You forget to take your medication 2) You put up with a lot of shit to avoid causing more shit which damages your already injured psyche 3) You’re under a lot of stress with your family situation right now 4) I know you’re starting to crack a little in your current workplace environment 5) Any day you come into work with a hair out of place, I know you didn’t sleep at all the night before and often catch you napping to make up for it- which is bad for your health 6) You’re a dedicated worker who gets things done that *I* don’t even know need to be done until I notice you’ve completed it already 7) In general, your stoic personality, documented depression that you often forget to take your medication for, and general hard working disposition worries me because I know you won’t complain on your own until it reaches a breaking point.

              **Berken:** That is why you stress me out.

              **Berken:** Besides, I’ve known you since we were in college.

              **Nadia:** ….James Jesse Abraham Berken, you seriously need to quit micromanaging the women in your life. This is why your wife left you.

              **Berken:** I’m just worried!

              **Nadia:** You worry too much. I think I need to refer you a psychologist at this rate. You’re going to give yourself an ulcer or three at this rate.

              **Berken:** Naaaaddddiiiiiaaa…

              **Nadia:** Kiss my ass Jesse

              **Berken:** ahem?

              **Nadia:** Kiss my ass Jesse, *sir*

              **Berken:** It’s still so weird hearing you call me sir

              **Nadia:** Try being the one calling you ‘sir’

              **Berken:** If you get that promotion, it’ll just be Berken again.

              **Nadia:** Is this the cliché part where you demand sex for a promotion?

              **Berken:** No….but some advice on what to do with Heather would be nice…

              **Nadia:** I’m not cupid Berken. I’ve given you pretty much all that I’ve got.

              **Berken:** Then at least tell me if my plan is creepy or not.

              **Nadia:** Fine, but don’t expect immediate responses. I’ve 34 reports to write by tomorrow.

              **Berken:** 34? Where the hell did they all come from?

              **Nadia:** There is this place called ‘work’ that often gives a person ‘tasks’ to do when they go home.

              **Berken:** Har-har. I’m dying over here. Do you need a pickaxe for your salt mining?

              **Nadia:** No. A raise would be nice though.

              **Berken:** Get those 34 reports done and we’ll see.

              **Nadia:** Sir yes sir

              Honestly, I couldn’t exactly remember when Berken and I returned back to our college years. When we had been rivals, we were always civil and polite. When I first started working under him, we were a bit more relaxed with each other because we no longer had to compete with each other. At some point around the gala, the final bit of the walls our careers had built up finally receded back down. I’m not saying we were the best of friends in college, but we did have an understanding that allowed us to work well together.

              It was around two report writing and Berken shaming hours later when someone knocked on my door.

              “Adonis.” I called out, “Could you please get that? I’m in the middle of something at the moment.”

              “Yes Miss Nadia.” Adonis hurried out of my bedroom to answer the door. I was elbows deep into my paperwork as the door creaked open, “Ah. Mister Grillby. It’s a pleasure to see you.”

              My eyes snapped away from my computer screen in no time. Grillby entered the apartment making a few soft, sweet noises to Adonis. His flames looked dimmer, and his clothing was a bit rough around the edges.

              “Grillby?” I pushed my laptop away and stood up. My numb legs almost crumpled at how quickly I decided to move. The slight stumble almost sent Saphenous- who had hunkered down on my head at some point- sliding down the back of my head, “What’s wrong?”

              “Nothing.” Grillby held up his phone. His left pinky curled in on itself a little because of the lie. Grillby would never make a good scam artist- he had too many tells.

              “Grillby.” I said firmly, standing akimbo by my coffee table. Grillby hesitated a little before slumping a little, “Grillby?” I held my hands out towards him, uncertain of what to do. He walked over to me, and I tugged him into a loose embrace. I could smell alcohol on him. Whether it was from his work or his own drinking habits I didn’t know, “Hey…” I sat the both of us down on the couch. Grillby didn’t make any noise still. I cupped his face gently.

              “ **are you going to talk or keep looking down at the couch like it holds all of the answers?** ” Saphenous questioned. I flicked him hard enough that he fell off of my shoulder onto the couch behind me, “ **what was that for?** ”

              “BEING AN INSENSITIVE DICKHEAD.” Cesar said as he and Babylon walked up to the couch, “GRILLBY?”

              “Is something wrong?” Babylon questioned, “What’s going on?”

              “I have no idea.” I admitted, “Take your time Grillby.”

              “I’m sorry.” Grillby told me, trying his best to straighten up some, “I just had to deal with a couple of unruly coworkers today.”

              “Unruly coworkers?” I ran my hand through his hair, “Were they harassing you?”

              “Not in any malicious way.” Grillby hesitated before slowly adding, “They were a bit relentless after I told them our developing relationship- mostly disbelieving jokes.”

              “Disbelieving jokes? It’s not like you’d be lying about it. We are in a relationship together.” I frowned, “They didn’t believe you?” He nodded, “Hmph…” My eye twitched a little, “They’re probably just upset because they haven’t been able to have a steady relationship with anyone for who knows how long.”

              “Nadia. That’s just being mean.” Grillby sighed.

              “From the sounds of it, your coworkers aren’t exactly nice.” Adonis commented.

              “They sound like jackasses.” Babylon scowled, “Do you need us to come beat some people up? We can.”

              “No violence.” Grillby told them firmly, “That would be wrong.”

              I could tell that there was something else on his mind as well.

              “Now, what else is on your mind? I know that some ribbing wouldn’t be enough to ruin your mood so thoroughly.” I tapped his nose with my finger. He hesitated again, “Grillby.”

              “Naadia.” He sighed, obviously not wanting to talk about it.

              “Is it Fuku?” I questioned. He shook his head, face darkening even more though, “Well…?”

              “My nightmares have just been very strong lately.” Grillby blushed before adding, “You tend to make them go away, so I thought seeing you would make me feel a bit better. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

              “You aren’t.” I assured him and pressed a kiss to his cheek, “I’m just doing some paperwork. It’s nonconsequential and not really important stuff- a bit dull actually. Besides, I’m always happy to see you Grillby.” Grillby’s shoulders felt thinner than usual under my arm, “Do you want to stay the night and get some proper rest? I don’t mind.” He cocked his head and mumbled something I recognized as ‘really’ before sagging into my embrace a bit more, “Of course.”

              “SO THAT IS ANOTHER PERSON FOR DINNER.” Cesar hummed.

              “Do you need help Cesar?” Adonis questioned, nudging the boss with his shoulder.

              “…YES.” Cesar reluctantly admitted, “IT WOULD MAKE THE PROCESS A LOT FASTER.”

              “ **considering the fact you managed to set the _sink_ on fire, i’d have to say it would be safer too.**” Saphenous ducked his head down when Cesar threw a jagged femur at him, “ **merely pointing out the obvious.** ”

              “I can help too.” Babylon offered.

              “NO. YOU SHOULD REST.” Cesar rubbed his thumb across Babylon’s cheek, “YOU’RE TIRED AND SORE. LET ADONIS AND I HANDLE IT. COPPER WOULD APPRECIATE THE COMPANY I IMAGINE.”

              It was a testament to how tired Babylon had to be that he wandered off without much of a fight.

              “Why don’t you grab a quick nap?” I asked Grillby before moving myself around on the couch. He watched me with confused fascination as I curled my right leg up and put my computer on my thigh. I kept my left leg stretched out and patted it. Grillby quickly caught on and stretched out on the couch, using my leg as a kind of body pillow, “You’re so skinny…” I grumbled upon realizing that I could probably lift my leg with his entire body weight on it up a couple of inches, “Adonis, Cesar, make the dinner larger than normal.”

              “Yes Miss Nadia.” Adonis nodded. Grillby had already fallen asleep on my leg. Saphenous wriggled his way onto the back of Grillby’s neck to nap.

              _He’s cute like this…_ I stroke Grillby’s flames and looked at Saphenous _…that one still looks sinister even when he’s asleep._

              **Berken:** Newmore? You there?

              **Nadia:** My apologizes. Grillby came by to visit.

              **Berken:** Ah. Sorry to interrupt your time with your new boyfriend, but have you managed to check your e-mail?

              **Nadia:** Checking it now sir.

              Sitting the way I was for a long period of time turned out to be more of a strain on my legs that I imagined. I’m not going to exaggerate and claim that it felt like my legs were being stabbed over and over again, but they most certainly stiffened in the awkward position. Seeing Grillby slowly blink awake when dinner was ready after a nice long nap made the pain more than worth it.

              Contrary to what my sisters probably believed, Grillby and I weren’t practically glued together at the hip. From time to time, we go out and have dinner or a drink, maybe bring things back home if neither of us were slammed the next day. Most of our relationship centered on late night phone calls and text messaging. I know the former sounds strange since Grillby’s human is still rough around the edges, but we’d sometimes just call each other to have some form of company- even if it’s the sounds of us breathing or humming.

              Part of me did hope to one day be around Grillby more often. The few times he did return with me to my apartment felt very natural and made me crave having him around more often. Again, the domesticity of it all left me wondering how I had survived my loveless marriage with Edgar. Perhaps one day we’d reach the level of living together. I didn’t want to rush him though.

              Thus, I was content with the snippets I had with him. They most certainly made my day- if not my week.

              “You know.” I murmured to Grillby as he stretched out beside me on the bed. Saphenous, Julius, and Sparta were snoring on the foot of the bed, and I could feel Adonis and Copper settling down behind my back, “If you ever want to get out of that horrible apartment, my door is always open to you.”

              Grillby let out a sharp, annoyed sound that equated to a frustrated human “NO”, but his eyes softened a little my face fell for a few seconds. His hand rose to my face as he gently made a soft, humming noise and nuzzled his nose against mine.

              “Nooo…buurrrddeeeenn.” He whispered, kissing me briefly. I pulled back and glowered at him.

              “Grillby. I make anywhere from 20 to 30 times money monthly than you do annually. Trust me when I say you wouldn’t be a financial burden.” I shook my head and buried my face into his chest, “I don’t feel like arguing about it though. It’d be a petty thing to fight over. Let’s just sleep alright?”

              Grillby buzzed in agreement, burying his face into my hair.

              _Honestly…men…_


	36. Lunch Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/ links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> ....that moment when your OTP turns into a potential OT3 in your head....stupid plot bunnies...*mulls over whether or not 14 chapters is enough time*....ehhhhhh....I shall see...for now...just really good friends.  
> ALSO: Just a simple reminder, Sparta and Julius are *not* in a romantic relationship despite the fact they help each other with their heats. Friends with benefits would be a more apt description of the two.

              Daniella- to be blunt- looked like shit when she walked into the office on her first day back. I could tell that she had tried to hide her fatigue and exhaustion behind make-up and a nice hair-do,but she put too much foundation on and sprayed her hair until it was essentially cardboard. Her fake, sweet smile charmed our coworkers who cooed about how happy they were to see her again. She managed to keep the aggression I had heard out of her after the gala out of her syrupy voice as she slowly garnered support back into her court- not that she ever lost to me in the first place. Our coworkers simply grew bored of trying to torment me over her upon realizing that I honestly didn’t care anymore.

              “Can’t believe that bitch is just sauntering back in her like she didn’t do anything wrong.” Sparta growled, chomping down on the ledge of the desk. She stood on one of the nests in the desk drawer she shared with Julius in order to glower at the offending human easily, “Fucking bitch gets to run around, making assumptions and spreading rumors without having to worry about long term consequences from her goddamn peers…”

              “bet you they wouldn’t be half as sympathetic if it wasn’t nadia she targeted.” Julius snorted, “those bastards are some of the most fickle jackasses on the planet.”

              “Agreed….I say we should go wreck her computer up.” Sparta’s eyes twinkled with angry mischief.

              “No damaging company property.” I warned. Babylon dozed on my lap with Cesar sitting beside him protectively. Saphenous had situated himself on top of my head to keep an eye out in case someone had a stupid idea, and Copper practically vibrated with tension from his small little pile of silk. Adonis’s flames were an angry golden color, but his face remained neutral, “We aren’t that petty.”

              “but she hurt you!” Julius argued.

              “I’m not a child Julius. I can handle some workplace bullying.” I kept my voice low to avoid drawing my coworkers attention away from the goddamn harpy, “It’s not like she can really do anything to me.”

              “She is dragging your reputation through the mud.” Adonis sounded like he’d actually let the desk drawer duo do as they pleased- which was worrisome since I depended on him to keep them in check.

              “I don’t exactly have a spotless reputation to begin with.” I reminded all of them, “She’s only adding to the typical rumor mill- it’s nothing new.”

              “it’s worse than that though.” Copper grumbled, “she wriggled her way into your inner circle only to spit in your face down the road. that kind of betrayal needs some kind of punishment.”

              “It’s the way the world of business works Copper. I’m used to it at this point. Besides, it was my fault for letting my guard down.” I didn’t even look up from my computer, “Tell me, would you victimize yourself if you let your guard down in the ring and the other bitty stabbed you in the back.”

              “no. i’d have to be a stupid fucking idiot to let that happen in the first place, so i’d deserve whatever i got.” Copper huffed. He blinked upon realizing my point, “oh. ah….right.”

              “Mhm.” I nodded.

              “I have no idea what the fuck you two are on about.” Sparta hissed at us, “But I still vote we teach her a lesson.”

              “Miss Nadia has decided to avoid going down that route.” Adonis reluctantly backed me up, “If she desires to take the high road, that is what we shall do.”

              “Thank you Adonis.” I scratched the fireroyal behind his ears, “I’m glad you’re capable of seeing reason.”

              Surprisingly, Sparta and Julius actually went quiet. It worried me at first because the two of them never gave up on mischief so easily. I couldn’t exactly point blank ask them what they were planning without potentially attracting the attention of my coworkers as they began to break apart and return to their desks, so I sat silently begging for them to not go off and do something stupid.

              “Huh?” Daniella frowned at her computer, “What the heck is wrong with this thing?”

              **_HOW!?_**

              Small hands climbed up my leg. I looked down at my lap and saw Cesar settle back down on my thigh next to Babylon. He was twisting a piece of an electrical cord in his hand before shredding it with his magic.

              “Cesar….” I growled, flicking the back of his head twice, “Unprofessionalism benefits no one.”

              “I REFUSE TO LET THAT WOMAN JUST GET AWAY WITH WHAT SHE DID.” Cesar rubbed the back of his head not looking the least bit remorseful about what he had done, “SHE DESERVES TO SUFFER FOR MAKING YOU CRY.”

              “Cesar.” I groaned. My other bitties- the sadistic little devils that they were- actually _snickered_ at my discomfort, “No treats for a week- all of you…except for Babylon because he’s asleep.”

              Now _that_ almost caused a small bitty mutiny.

              Daniella did end up suffering because of Cesar’s prank. People came over and examined her computer to find that the cord had been cut, and she lost a lot of precious time having to try and explain to Berken why she needed a new monitor. Berken’s eyes cut over to me while Daniella stuttered through her apologizes. I pointed to my bitties and shrugged. He let out a patient sigh and gave me a firm ‘don’t let it happen again’ look before returning his attention to the flustered Daniella.

              “I-I’m really sorry Mr. Berken. I can pay for a new one.” Daniella wrung her hands together anxiously.

              “It’s no big deal. We have a few spares in the basement. You’re going to have a lot of paperwork at home though. Your extended leave has left you out of the loop, and I want you caught back up by tomorrow- especially since your work performance wasn’t exactly it’s best before the gala.” Berken’s eyes narrowed a little, “The gala has waned my patience with you. Don’t forget that. I’m willing to give you a second chance at your husband’s request- do not squander it.”

              “Yes sir.” Daniella nodded like a broken bobble head, “I promise that I won’t let you down sir.”

              “See to it that you don’t.” Berken left the floor after that.

              “ **i still say she shouldn’t be working here.** ” Saphenous watched Daniella with the eyes of a cranky predator that couldn’t attack its prey, “ **she should be glad that berken’s too much of a softie to ignore the pleas of an old friend.** ”

              “You can say that again.” I agreed. Berken had become increasingly sentimental due to his wife finally just shooting down any and all attempts at beginning their relationship again. I had hoped the woman would see reason and recognize that Berken really was the best option for her, but the stupid bitch decided that some random lover in another country would be a better fit- somehow. If it isn’t obvious, I wasn’t impressed. Berken had a selection of around thirty women who would’ve killed to have been his wife, but he chose her because he loved her. Then, she just ups and leaves him over rumors _easily_ proven false. Berken was a good man. Sometimes though, he was _too_ good of a man, “I’ll have to tighten my grip on a few of our deals…we can’t let our competitors sniff out weakness at such a crucial time.”

              “Agreed.” Adonis hummed, “They’d happily take advantage of Berken’s vulnerable state otherwise.”

              “Sounds like you should quit running your fucking mouth and get to work then.” Sparta sneered before sliding back into the drawer with Julius and closing it.

              “What have I been doing this entire time?” I mumbled, fighting the urge to throw my hands up in frustration. Sparta had been struggling to sleep properly, so I had been more lenient than usual with the unruly jaws, “Honestly….she acts like I just stare at the screen and do nothing.”

              “Do I need to have a discussion with her?” Adonis questioned, cocking his head.

              “I’LL HAPPILY DO IT IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF HIS AID AT THE MOMENT…” Cesar glared at the drawer.

              “No. No. Her mood will brighten up some once she gets some rest.” I shook my head, “She might be going into heat…She didn’t sync up with the rest of you, so it’s possible…”

              “that is not a mental image i want this early in the morning.” Copper held up a hand like he could stop me from speaking with a simple gesture, “please no…”

              “I’m merely pointing it out that she didn’t go into the heat with the rest of you.” I shrugged, “Glean from that what you will.”

              I heard my coworkers gossiping behind me.

              “Eww…is she talking about her pets having sex?”

              “Oh my god. Do you think she has sex with them?”

              “Uggh…that is so _gross_ …”

              I felt my shoulders grow slack in frustrated annoyance. Straightening my spine, I cut a glare over my shoulder that quickly silenced the women gossiping. They wilted under my sharp, gray gaze.

              “I do not have sexual relations with my bitties, but I would like to remind you that even if I did, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Bitties are _not_ pets. They are sentient creatures, and most- yes not _all_ , but most- are capable of giving consent and actually require aid through their heats.” I tried my best to avoid sounding catty, but there was only so much an impatient woman could manage, “Shaming bitty owners and their bitties for dealing with a natural part of bitty life is pathetic and petty. Perhaps if you spent less time gossiping and creating faux outrage around a misconception, your husbands wouldn’t often be found drowning their sorrows in strip clubs. Now. Get. To. WORK.” I barked, snapping my fingers like they were dogs.

              Well, a bitch with skin is just as much of a bitch as one with fur.

              The cowards scurried off instead of confronting me head on like someone worthy of my time would’ve. They probably intended on telling all of their little friends about the encounter and filing a report against me that would be brushed aside due to how ludicrous it would be. They attempted to humiliate me. I beat them to the punch.

              “MOTHER. YOU’RE KILLING YOUR KEYBOARD.” Cesar eyed my furious key mashing with concerned eyes.

              “I really need to pick up some kind of physical hobby…like boxing…” I tried my best to calm down, “Fencing never really helped me deal with anger….maybe I can get Berken to show me how. He boxes…”

              “aaannnd she’s lost in her own thoughts.” Copper tugged up one of the silken scraps of cloth to cover his face, “see you when you’re back down from your rage high nadi.”

              I honestly couldn’t hear him at that point.

              When my phone beeped, I had the darkest desire to smash it against my desk for the distraction it caused.

              **Grillby:** Nadia?

              I felt myself smile.

              **Nadia:** Yes?

              **Grillby:** Do you think you can eat lunch outside of the office today?

              **Nadia:** Of course. Do you have anywhere in particular you want to meet up?

              **Grillby:** Not really. I had hoped you would have something specific in mind.

              **Nadia:** I’ll think on it and let you know. Is that alright?

              **Grillby:** : )

              “Grillby?” Adonis questioned me from where he was sorting my e-mails on my tablet.

              “Yes. We’re going to go get lunch together.” I grinned, feeling the remainder of my stress ease off of my shoulders.

              “THAT’S GOOD MOTHER.” Cesar patted my leg, “YOU JUST MISSPELLED TEN WORDS IN YOUR CURRENT REPORT THOUGH.”

              “Shit.” I hit ‘backspace’ quickly.

              The rest of my morning went by smoothly until I departed to go to the restroom. Daniella was inside, fixing her make-up. The two of us noticed each other immediately. I had no idea what to do. We had already exchanged words after the gala, and we hadn’t had any form of communication since.

              "I see you’re still buddy buddy with Berken.” She spat at last.

              “We’ve known each other for years, so…yes…we’re friends.” I raised a brow, “Berken is still reeling from his wife’s final rejection. Do not try and drag him into our quarrel. You’ll regret it- sincerely.”

              “Is that a threat?” Daniella hissed.

              “No.” I got in her face, and the shorter woman realized just how much height I had on her, “It’s a promise. Unlike some people, I value the few friends I have. Now, we don’t have anything else to say. Leave me alone. Leave me out of your gossip, and- most importantly- fuck off and mind your own goddamn business.”

              I entered a stall and slammed the door hard enough it rattled a little.

              Daniella hesitated outside before muttering a string of curses and storming out of the bathroom. Again, I found myself questioning how I could’ve ever been fooled by her in the first place. Her true character- once revealed- hung around no matter how much she tried to hide it. Her smile was actually a twisted snarl that just barely held itself up in mockery of a genuine expression of joy. Her eyes glinted with more viciousness and cruelty than mine ever did. In short, she was a hyena preying on the scraps left behind by lions like myself, but unlike a smart hyena, she actually tried to take down one of her lion competitors.

              I’m pretty sure the dent in her paycheck told her exactly how poorly trying to do so would pay off for her in the end. My phone buzzed.

              **Grillby:** Are we still on for lunch?

              **Nadia:** We are. Have you thought of a place by any chance?

              **Grillby:** Haven’t really had much time to think. Been slammed at the diner all day.

              **Nadia:** I’m sorry to hear that.

              I was about to exit the office area again when I spotted Berken leaning against the wall and glaring at his phone. He looked more worn down than he had earlier that morning, and I found myself genuinely worried about him.

              “Berken?” I called out to him. He looked up at me, “Is something the matter?”

              He simply held up his phone. Heather stood in a picture with her lover flashing a gaudy engagement ring to the camera. I scowled once I saw that she had specifically tagged Berken to just dig the knife in a little deeper.

              “She is such a petty bitch.” I huffed, looking up at Berken, “I’m sorry.”

              “It’s fine…I should’ve expected it in all honesty.” Berken put his phone away and ran his hands through his dark hair, “Damn….I really need to learn to not hope for the best and learn to expect the worst.”

              “You do.” I agreed. He winced, “I’m just being honest Berken.”

              “I know.” He sighed, crossing his arms, “Just hurts a bit to hear it.”

              I bit my lip.

              _I can’t exactly just leave my blatantly emotionally unstable boss to wander around doing who knows what…._

              Berken was mulling over his thoughts when I pulled out my phone.

              **Nadia:** How much would you hate me if I brought my boss along? His wife has been a massive pain lately, and I’m worried about his mental health.

              I almost regretted the message after I sent it. Obviously, Grillby had intended our lunch together to be more of a romantic variety- well as romantic as one could get with seven bitties around.

              **Grillby:** I don’t mind.

              **Nadia:** Are you sure? I know you probably meant for this to be a date.

              **Grillby:** It’s really fine. I mean it. If it worries you so much, I have tonight off. You can make it up to me after work.

              **Nadia:** That can most certainly be arranged.

              “Berken.” I tucked my phone back into my pocket, “Why don’t you come to lunch with me? I’m stepping out of the office to get something to eat with Grillby…maybe some time out of this place will help you out.”

              “Huh?” Berken blinked at me, “I don’t want to be a third wheel…”

              “I already asked Grillby. He’s fine with it.” I patted Berken’s shoulder, “Honestly, _you’re_ stressing me out right now.”

              “Ha…I hate irony.” Berken chuckled, “Alright. I’ll go. Let’s just hope that this place doesn’t burn to the ground while we’re away.”

              “If it does, we’ll just have to buy a new one.” I shrugged, “And find better employees.”

              “Jesus, you’re so cold.” Berken patted my upper back.

              “I’m also very successful.” I pointed out.

              “True.” Berken mused.

              As it turns out, bringing Berken along with me most certainly made lunch more interesting than it otherwise would’ve been. Grillby had been very unsure of himself at first and fretted over offending the powerful human, but a few casual jokes and reassurances from Berken calmed the younger monster down by a large margin. Surprisingly, Berken didn’t seem to mind having to read Grillby’s words instead of hearing them. He actually even began to recognize it whenever Grillby said my name in his native tongue.

              “Berken…” I teased, sipping on my tea and handing Babylon another grape from my plate, “You’re acting like a child…”

              “But his voice is amazing.” Berken protested. Then he looked back at Grillby, “If you ever learn how to speak human fluently, you should go into radio. You’d be an instant hit.”

              Grillby blushed a little and scratched the back of his neck.

              “Thank you.” Grillby responded.

              “Ugh.” Sparta dragged a napkin over her and Julius, “All of this friendly banter makes me want to sneeze…make it stoooooooppp.”

              “YOU WOULDN’T HATE IT AS MUCH IF YOU WEREN’T A TOTAL BITCH HELL BENT ON APPEARING EDGY.” Cesar rolled his eyes.

              “What was that jackass?” Sparta sprung up from the table.

              “Uh oh….” Berken chuckled, “Looks like your bitties are about to throw down.”

              “Adonis.” I sighed.

              The fireroyal nodded and proceeded to slam Cesar’s head into Sparta’s, stunning both of the idiots in the process.

              “That’s one way of dealing with things.” Grillby laughed.

              “An effective one too.” I nudged his leg with my foot and winked at him when he blushed a little. Berken caught on and shook his head.

              “I never took you for an exhibitionist Newmore.” Berken nudged my shoulder with his own.

              “I’m not.” I patted his upper arm, “Don’t worry. I’m not about to ravish him on the table. He has to go back to work after all.”

              Grillby flicked about ten peas at me for that.

              I was too busy enjoying his blush to really care.


	37. Rage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> READ ME: Holy fucking shit someone drew fanart of Nadia :D :D :D The lovely ignitingthesky on tumblr drew this: https://ignitingthesky.tumblr.com/post/157525804963/kissxsleep-this-is-biz-speaking-the-one-who I love it so much. Thank you! It definitely made my day a lot brighter to wake up and find this yesterday.
> 
> Anyways. I've gotta run.
> 
> Oh, on another tumblr related note, I reblogged one of those numbered question things where people can ask ask for a number and I answer the question if anyone's interested. I figured why not?

              One would think that grown adults would be capable of letting grudges go and moving forward from the past to a better future. One would _think_ that grown adults wouldn’t stoop to petty, teenage revenge. One would _think_ that grown adults wouldn’t be stupid enough to think that they would _get away_ with their revenge in the first place.

              “Do you have any idea how much money you just poured down the drain?” Berken slammed his fist onto his desk. The guilty coworkers edged back a little from his desk, “Newmore has been working on gaining us those assets for three months, and your little prank damaged not only the paper version of a carefully crafted contract, but the digital one too!”

              “B-But her bitty damaged Dani’s computer.” One of the women pointed a trembling finger at Cesar. The boss’s flat looked seemed to scare her even more. Cesar let out a low sound of annoyance before turning his attention back to Babylon who seemed amused about the whole thing in all honesty.

              “Do you have proof of this?” Berken tapped his finger impatiently on the desk. He _technically_ had my confession from right after it happened, but well…Cesar just stalled a bad worker for about an hour and a half. These idiots just ruined three months of work, “No? I didn’t think so.”

              “You always take her side!” The oldest of the women spoke up, “No wonder Heather left you.”

              I took a step back and pressed myself into the wall. My bitties all groaned a little at the woman’s stupidity.

              “Excuse me?” Berken’s icy voice snuffed out the courage the oldest woman had mustered, “Will I favor a hardworking, determined individual who not only gets results in an efficient, clean manner, but also manages to not sink down to pathetic, high school tactics against people she doesn’t like over a group of faux outrage mongering bitches who have already cost me around a million dollars this year? Hell yes I would, and so would any smart person of power.” Berken jabbed a thumb at me, “ _She_ has a long, outstanding record as the former Queen of the Mt. Ebott Area business industry. You-“ The jab of his finger in their direction made the women jump a little, “- lot have been booted out of five jobs due to your incompetence. Make this your sixth. I want you out of my establishment by the end of the week. I won’t keep around workers incapable of separating emotion from business. Begone.”

              The women left his office looking much more defeated than when they had walked in. Initially, the tried to spin it that I messed up, but security footage showed their lies happily. It was a sad, _sad_ day when my bitty was capable of doing mischief and getting away with it easier than four grown adults.

              “Berken?” I kept my voice soft as I approached his desk. Berken sat down and rubbed his temples, “I’m sorry that I seem to just keep adding problems for you.”

              “It’s not like you’ve done anything of late to encourage this kind of behavior.” Berken looked up at me and smiled just a bit, “I had really just hoped they’d all back down once they realized you weren’t going anywhere.”

              “I THINK GIVING UP THE PROMOTION CAME OFF AS US APPEARING COCKY.” Cesar rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

              “That is possible. Everyone expected us to leap at the opportunity.” Adonis chimed in from where he held Copper in his lap on my shoulder, “They might believe that we’re so arrogant that we’ll happily pass up easy ways to climb the ladder.”

              “which is fucking stupid.” Julius hissed.

              “ **most of them still think she’s the ice queen though, so i guess in their eyes it isn’t too stupid.** ” Saphenous’s fingers rubbed against my scalp absentmindedly. He tended to do it whenever he subconsciously worried I was building up stress.

              Giving up the promotion to another work had indeed not endeared me to my coworkers one, tiny bit. In truth, I had passed up the opportunity after learning that it would require me to move out of the Mt. Ebott area and constantly travel around. Berken needed a person to do that for him so he could focus on his immediate area, but I didn’t want my life to be on an airplane again. The damn things had already taken up too much of my younger years. Not to mention the fact that Josephine and Oliva were settling down and making families of their own. I had already missed out on a lot of time with my family- I didn’t want to miss anymore.

              My coworkers didn’t interpret it that way however. Oh no…the ice queen chose to linger in order to continue to show them up and cause them trouble. She didn’t want to leave Berken’s lap because she’d just _fall apart_ without him to protect her from her big bad peers. It’s not like she actually _worked_ for her degree, for her prestige. No. No. The pretty little Newmore ice queen was given a silver platter as a kid and continues to greedily cling onto it- seeking the _easiest_ way to do it and not the most honest way.

              “I’ll make sure their ‘prank’ doesn’t reflect poorly on you.” Berken assured me, “Something like this shouldn’t damage _your_ career.”

              “Thank you Mr. Berken.” I smiled at him.

              “Just Jesse in private Newmore. No need to be so formal.” Berken leaned back in his chair.

              “I never called you Jesse in college, and you just called me Newmore.” I pointed out, raising a brow.

              “Ah…I suppose we never did use first names…” Berken ran a hand down his face, “Almost sounds like we were on the same sports team together or something.”

              “The debate team.” I reminded him.

              “Oh yeah. How could I forget that?” Berken chuckled, “You dominated everyone- even the rest of us on the team.”

              “she is kind of fucking bossy.” Julius huffed.

              “Thank you.” I nudged the edgy with my head. He shifted closer towards Sparta and glowered at me due to my lack of an irate reaction, “Anyways. I had better get back to work now- as much as I would like to reminisce.”

              “Mmm…” Berken nodded.

              I was part way out of the door when he called out to me again.

              “I almost forgot. Grillby and I were planning on getting a drink tonight. Do you want to come with? I know the two of you don’t get to see each other as much as you’d like to.” Berken offered.

              The two had exchanged numbers during our little lunch together, and it was quite interesting to watch the two of them become friends- mostly because Grillby had no real concept of relaxing. Watching Berken struggle to help my fiery lover unwind brought me more than a little amusement despite the fact they would text me late at night or at random times complaining about each other.

              “I’d hate to tread on your guy’s night out.” I pursed my lips.

              “Nadia….” Babylon sighed, “You know you want to go.”

              “Hush.” I clucked my tongue in warning.

              “Don’t hold back over something like that.” Berken scolded me, “Grillby’s practically dying to see you. Get your head out of your paperwork for a change and give the poor boy some attention.”

              “Excuse me?” I raised a brow and cocked my head, “ _Jesse_ , trust me when I tell you that Grillby most certainly has a large portion of my attention most of the time.”

              “Oh really?” Berken cocked his head, tucking his arms behind his head like an insufferable jackass.

              “Yes.” I gave him a firm, flat look.

              “SHE DOES OFTEN TEXT AND CALL HIM THROUGHOUT THE DAY- ASSUMING HE DOESN’T ENGAGE IN CONTACT FIRST.” Cesar yawned, “HE ALSO VISITS THE APARTMENT WHEN HE CAN.”

              “Listen Nadia, take my advice as a clingy guy myself to heart when I say this: Grillby most certainly could do with more physical interactions instead of just talking over the phone.” Berken and I locked gazes, “He won’t ever say anything about it since he doesn’t want to bother you, but some extra time spent on him could do him a lot of good.”

              “Am I not giving him enough time already?” I chewed the inside of my cheek in thought. Berken shook his head just little, “Damn. Honestly…” A heavy sigh fell from me before I could stop it, “He should just move in with me at this rate…”

              “Why hasn’t he? It would definitely be a lot safer in comparison to the shithole he’s currently living in.” Berken leant forward.

              “You _have_ spoken to him right?” Sparta snorted, “He’s too stubborn to listen most of the time.”

              “I never really took you as the type to take ‘no’ for an answer.” Berken looked genuinely shocked.

              “Grillby and I have only been romantically involved for about a month and half now. I don’t want to rush him.” I argued, “I’d hate to end up forcing him into a scenario he doesn’t enjoy and regrets. You forget Berken, I’m the older, more experienced one this time around. I have to be careful and be aware of the power dynamic between us.”

              “Valid point.” Berken agreed, actually nodding, “Still, come have a drink with us. It’ll do you some good.”

              “Boys and Sparta?” I murmured to my bitties. They all shrugged and gave no protest to the idea, “Very well then. I guess I’ll be seeing you and Grillby sometime this evening.”

              “Excellent. Grillby’s going to be over the moon.” Berken grinned and promptly forgot about me in favor of texting Grillby.

              “ **did you seriously just have a conversation about your fledgling relationship with grillby with your boss?** ” Saphenous grumbled incredulously after we exited Berken’s office.

              “Yes. Yes I did.” I said.

              “ **how the fuck does that just _happen_?** ”

              “Berken is a busybody.” I rolled my eyes.

              “HE HAS ALWAYS HAD AN ISSUE WITH KEEPING HIS NOSE IN HIS OWN BUSINESS.” Cesar mumbled, dozing against Babylon a little. The hybrid grinned and nuzzled his cheek against the boss’s happily while Copper glowered at the cute sight, “STILL, I SUPPOSE ONE COULD ARGUE HAVING A MALE FRIEND WOULD BE GOOD FOR GRILLBY. HIS COWORKERS AREN’T EXACTLY RELIABLE.”

              “You can say that again.” Adonis’s ears flattened back, a low growl building in his throat, “Some of them seem nice enough, but the rest….” He shook his head.

              “grillby doesn’t exactly make it hard to take advantage of him. he’s naïve, a bit dense, and too stubborn at times.” Copper absentmindedly fixed Adonis’s loosening tie.

              “Which is why I worry for him so much. Humans aren’t half as kind as monsters are.” I grumbled, “He’s already been given the short end of the stick on more than one occasion.”

              My bitties agreed with me. Sparta had most certainly been getting all of the human sparring practice she wanted due to all of the fools harassing Grillby in front of us. We did have to deal with a couple of lawsuits that were shushed with enough of a threat though….My bitties could get a little _too_ aggressive sometimes.

              I had been settled down and working for a couple of hours when I noticed something was off. The rest of my day had gone well, and it was almost time for me to leave to go grab something to eat- Grillby had decided on an early dinner as well as a drink- before we went off to enjoy some alcohol. What should’ve been an otherwise neutral ending to my day was wrong….Babylon wasn’t within reaching distance of my desk. Initially, I didn’t worry about it too much. My bitties had free roam of the floor as long as they didn’t harass any of the other workers, and Babylon tended to quickly grow tired of having all of the other bitties fuss over him like he was about to shatter into a million pieces. Thus, he would walk around a bit to stretch his legs and try to extend his patience with the rest of our little family.

              He didn’t leave for more than an hour though.

              “Hey.” I got all of my bitties attention with the single whisper. Cesar slept soundly on my lap, “Where’s Babylon?”

              “huh? isn’t he curled up with the jackass?” Copper stood up on wobbly legs.

              “Copper.” Adonis sighed.

              “shut it. baby?” Copper leaned over the desk. His eyes narrowed when they couldn’t spot his son on my lap, the area around my chair, or in the immediate vicinity. Magic hissed dangerously around him, “where is my son?”

              “I don’t know.” I saved my work and shook Cesar awake. His eyes snapped open. The boss looked up at me more than a little confused, “Babylon is missing. We’re-“

              He was already off my lap and prowling around.

              “Fucking hell.” Sparta grabbed Julius and jumped to the floor as well, “Dammit kid….He shouldn’t be wandering around when’s the long lost cousin of a fucking whale….shit.”

              “calm down. the kid ain’t defenseless.” Julius nudged her with his shoulder, “besides, we just gotta beat the shit out of someone if he got hurt.”

              “Saphenous can you smell Babylon anywhere?” Adonis questioned as he helped Copper get down. I think my bitties all understood my desire to keep this quiet because none of them raised their voices. Perhaps they- like me- worried what my coworkers would do if they learned Babylon was out of our hands.

              “ **no. someone drowned this floor in febreeze earlier…i can’t smell anything but fake flowers and citrus.** ” Saphenous hopped off of my shoulder and tried his best to locate any kind of scent he could work with. The poor thing ended up sneezing, “ **yeah…no good. i can’t even smell the blood on my shirt.** ”

              “dammit.” Copper wriggled free of Adonis’s grip, “he couldn’t have gotten too far himself. we should split up and hunt him down.”

              “Copper-“ Adonis protested.

              “you try to keep me from finding my son bucko, and we’ll have problems.” Copper hissed, eyes flaring dangerously with magic. He winced when the action caused him pain, but he continued his speech, panting through the agony, “he’s the only thing i got left in this world to live for- end of story.”

              I could tell that hurt Adonis a little. He understood what Copper was saying though. Even after all of the time Copper had spent with the rest of us, the only thing that really mattered to him was Babylon. Babylon had been and always would be his top priority no matter how many new friends or lovers Copper accumulated over time.

              “Fine. At least take Adonis with you in case there’s a fight. I want you all to break up into groups of two.” I ordered quietly, “Saphenous, go with Cesar please. We need to find Babylon and make sure he’s safe. If he’s been injured, the kid gloves come off.” I murmured lowly to them, an ice cold look on my face when I added, “I mean that. Make them pay for touching one of our own. Got it?”

              Six sets of eyes were burning with angry understanding when vicious smiles and nodding heads were shot my way. Adonis had a more somber approach to it, but I saw that he was just as riled up as the others- I’m pretty sure the scorched carpet would agree.

              My bitties and I broke off wordlessly in different directions to go find Babylon.

              My coworkers seemed a bit confused as to what I was doing. They openly stared and murmured among themselves about me “stalking around, looking for trouble” as I passed by them trying to spot any sign of my hybrid bitty. A normal person in a normal environment would’ve asked their coworkers for help. After all, even a jerk wouldn’t want to see an innocent bitty injured right? It was too bad most of my coworkers were worse than even jerks. Vindictive and spiteful, they would’ve found Babylon with a smile before snapping his neck and dumping him on my desk. No…they couldn’t be trusted- not one bit.

              _You sound like some kind of conspiracy theorist thinking the FBI is after you._ My brain pointed out to me. My fears probably sounded paranoid and easily excitable, but it wasn’t as though my coworkers had garnered any of my trust back recently. _I can’t even feel safe in my place of work. Damn…._

              “Hey you.” One of my coworkers snapped her fingers to get my attention like I was some kind of mutt on the street, “Berken and that freak are here.” She jabbed the finger in the direction of the elevator where Berken had stepped out with Grillby walking beside him. If things were in a better state, I would’ve smiled at their arrival. Instead, tension chewing at my spine turned my head away to find Babylon.

              I heard Grillby call out my name in fire monster tongue.

              “Newmore?” Berken’s voice questioned my lack of reaction to their arrival. I waved them over with my hand.

              “We can’t find Babylon.” I whispered to the both of them, “Please help us find him. He’s with child and extremely vulnerable right now. I…” _Dammit all. I’m about to cry._

              “Of course.” Berken squeezed my shoulder comfortingly before going off to try and locate Babylon. Grillby tangled his hand with mine and nuzzled his cheek against the side of my head comfortingly, letting out a soothing humming noise.

              “Thank you.” I cleared my throat and squeezed his hand, “Let’s try to find him…”

              Our search continued. Eventually, it became clear to me Babylon wasn’t in the area with all of our desks and the cubicles. He had to be somewhere else.

              _He could’ve gone to the bathroom…_ The bathrooms on this floor were rarely used because they tended to be hot spots for gossips. Babylon could’ve easily slid into one without anyone noticing though. Thus, I tugged Grillby in the direction of the hallway where the bathrooms were placed beside things like the custodian’s closet and a few private offices.

              “Could you go check in there?” I whispered to him, pointing to the men’s bathroom. He nodded and waited for me to slide into the women’s restroom before he entered the men’s.

              I checked the bathroom thoroughly to try and find my missing bitty. I…even checked for dust…just in case the worst had happened.

              A startled, fiery yelp from the men’s bathroom caught my attention. I practically ran to make sure Grillby was safe.

              He sat on his knees, gently cradling Babylon’s small form. Babylon’s right pants leg was damp and limp.

              “Babylon.” I shoved past my stunned male coworkers who gawked at the fact I was in their restroom to reach the pained hybrid bitty.

              “N…Nadia…” Babylon’s bone stump reached for me. His other once useable arm was gone. I saw a few piles of white dust that had been kicked up, “It…it hurts…” Babylon whimpered, eventually falling into a pained fetal position, curling protectively around his stomach, “I’m okay though…okay…?”

              “Dammit.” I tugged Grillby up with Babylon, “We need to get him to the CC- _now._ ” I practically shoved Grillby out of the door. Cutting a glare over my shoulder at the men still in the restroom, “I swear to god, if I find out _any_ of you were involved in this, I will cut off those little baby dicks, cram them up your asses, and super glue your rectum shut around them.”

              I slammed the bathroom door behind me.

              _Babylon needs help. He needs help…not violence. Calm down Nadia Newmore. Calm. Losing your head means losing the battle…_

              That mantra managed to calm me down just a little as I hurried towards the working floor where Berken and my bitties had gathered around Grillby and Babylon.

              “To the CC. Now.” I barked at them while grabbing my things. I snarled at the people on my floor, “I will find out who did this to him, and the perpetrator or perpetrators will _deeply_ regret messing with me.”

              _Oh…you lot thought I was bad before._

_Ha._

_Fine. You want bad?_

_I will ruin your whole **fucking** career over this._

_You do not touch one of my bitties. You do…._

_…..mmmm…._

_You’ll find out just how fiery this ice queen can get._


	38. Narci

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> Image of Narcissus: https://kissxsleep.tumblr.com/post/157594226646/this-poor-baby-has-one-of-the-worst-gene-pools-in
> 
> ALSO (be still my beating heart), I got more fanart :D Thank you so much Goatmom! You guys can find an adorable drawing of Atlantic and Tinsel here: http://bmm113.deviantart.com/art/Bitties-665089426?ga_submit_new=10%3A1487772646

              “Jarrod!” The door slammed into the wall with how hard I pushed it. The slime monster looked up from a magazine he was reading and raised an eyebrow, “Emergency. Babylon has been doused in two separate areas.”

              “Hmm…Hand him over.” Jarrod put down the magazine and held out one drooping ‘hand’ for me to put Babylon into. Jarrod blinked slowly upon seeing Grillby and Berken trail behind me, “Huh…brought a party along?”

              “We had plans, but things kind of got up ended.” Berken didn’t even try to smile. He opened his mouth to continue speaking when I dropped Babylon into Jarrod’s hand. The slime quickly tugged Babylon into it, “What the fuck? Babylon!?”

              “Calm down James.” Adonis patted his neck, “Monsters like Jarrod can act as a kind of ‘healing pod’ for bitties. His lack of a proper form is his magic being condensed down into microscopic rivulets that can actually interact with our magic where monster magic cannot. It’s good for Babylon.”

              “It also lets me see what the hell is happening.” Jarrod added flippantly, tugging his hand up to his face. He examined the unconscious Babylon with burning yellow eyes, “Oi. Grillby. Go flip the closed sign. Technically, we should be closed, but I’m gonna do this because I have the distinct feeling Newmore would incinerate me if I didn’t.”

              “You’re damn right.” I grumbled. While Grillby went to lock the door and flip the OPEN sign to read CLOSED, Babylon was carefully stripped down. His injured leg ended at the knee. His newly injured arm ended at the shoulder bone with only a couple of millimeters separating flame from flame. There was no telling whether Babylon would’ve survived if the two had been connected, allowing the water to burn through his ribs as well, “Oh Babylon…”

              Copper slumped dejectedly between Adonis and Berken’s neck. He watched Jarrod tend to his son with a flat, vacant look that told me all I needed to know. Adonis looked down and spotted his mate’s anxieties as well. Copper perked up just a hair when Adonis pressed sweet kisses to the top of his head.

              “Is the kid going to be alright slimefreak?” Sparta said, hopping off of  Grillby’s shoulder onto the front desk when the fire monster was close enough. Julius- lazy no matter what the circumstances- opted to stay on Grillby’s shoulder.

              “YES. WILL HE?” Cesar’s broken voice caused me to squeeze him tighter to my chest. Saphenous was surprisingly silent on top of my head.

              “He’ll be fine. The baby too…” Jarrod waved his other ‘hand’ at us like we had asked something stupid, “Brassberries aren’t exactly made of satin you know. The limb damage can be fixed with some added parts. I know Babylon didn’t want the single arm, but he’s definitely going to need them now- especially since we’ve gotta take the kid out…”

              “I THOUGHT YOU SAID THEY WERE FINE?” Cesar straightened and glowered at Jarrod.

              “They are- for now. The issue is, I can’t exactly see the inside condition of his womb, so there’s no telling what kind of damage the stress of the attack caused. The kid will be fine coming out early- a little undercooked yeah, but I’ve seen a bitty give birth after only a month. The baby struggled for a while, but eventually pulled through. This little thing-“ Jarrod nodded to Babylon’s stomach, “-has brassberry and boss in him. Trust me when I say that this kid’ll come out fine- fucked up looking, but healthy.”

              “I thought it was illegal for a bitty tech to allow a bitty to go into labor so early.” Now that I had calmed down some, my paranoia returned.

              “I saw it back when I worked with some illegal breeders.” Jarrod shrugged. At the shocked angry looks on our faces, he elaborated, “I didn’t exactly have a choice. My family’s never been the most honest set of monsters, and we don’t have many skills beyond healing and whatnot. Turns out, we also have a special affinity for bitties. Back in the beginning, it was easy enough to start up illegal breeding sites. My family was all I had, so I did what they wanted.

              Then, once you see one too many bitties get offed because they aren’t studs or mares, you kind of break a little inside. I reported my family to the cops and did about a year for it while my family died because they decided having a standoff with the police would end well for them. I got out- obviously. This place hired me because I know more about bitties than the average, non-scientist monster does, and now, I guess you could say I’m trying to atone for my sins.” Jarrod let out a soft noise when Babylon writhed a little in his hand, “Gah…” Jarrod pulled out a syringe and pumped something into his hand that turned it a light lilac color. Babylon relaxed, “Anyways, hate me if you want. I don’t really care. I’ve got a more pressing issue.”

              “And that is?” I questioned. His story hadn’t helped my paranoia at all, but he’d never been too terrible despite our rough first encounter.

              “Why the fuck is there flamebitty repellant stuck to him?” Jarrod hissed, words garbling a little when his vocal cords boiled in anger.

              “What is that?” I blinked.

              “it’s a repellant that prevents any fire wielding bitties from using their magic. breeders and rings tend to use them to keep grillbitties under control.” Copper explained, “it’s extremely painful on a healthy bitty- damaging too…” His voice went quiet, and he leaned forward where Jarrod had pumped other liquids into his hand.

              “Yeah. They keep a tight grip on the formula too…” Jarrod let us fill in the blanks.        

              “You mean to say that someone from a breeder or a fucking _ring_ is working for me?” Berken growled. I could already see the mental list of people he’d be firing compiling in his mind.

              “Not directly.” Jarrod corrected, “No ring master or breeder would use the shit on a pregnant bitty. High concentrations can result in the womb hardening and shattering, killing the baby inside. Thankfully, the idiots who did this only hit him with a little and…” Jarrod angled Babylon to where we could see new cracks on the back of his head, “…used blunt force trauma to keep him from needing another dose. The folks who did this definitely have contacts though. There’s no other way to get flamebitty repellant.”

              “Dammit.” Berken bit his thumb. Grillby let out a worried, gentle noise and tugged Berken’s hand away from his mouth, “I’m sorry Newmore. I didn’t know.”

              “Neither of us did.” I looked over my shoulder at him and forced a patient look, “It’s not like they walked around with signs reading ‘I’m breaking the law in my spare time’ Berken.”

              “They could be anyone really.” Jarrod hummed observing Babylon as the head injuries slowly healed, “Your mailman, your husband, your wife, your cousin, your best friend, your worst enemy….they could all be part of a ring or a breeding organization. You just…never know.” Jarrod looked up, “Anyways, I’ll leave the office purge to you lot. Do you mind if I take him to the back for a C-section and false limb attachment?”

              “Copper?” I looked at the brassberry. Copper nodded, “Cesar?”

              “IF ANYTHING ELSE HAPPENS TO HIM, YOU WILL PAY.” Cesar hissed.

              “Understood.” Jarrod stuck out his extremely long tongue before heading off to the back, “Take a seat. This might take an hour or so.”

              The chairs in the Greenridge Bitty Care Center were _far_ from comfortable, but my exhausted body was happy for the break. All of the adrenaline coursing through my veins left me, leaving me feeling like I had just run a marathon. Saphenous slid down my face and ended up tumbling onto my lap. Cesar grunted when Saphenous landed on top of him on accident. A small chuckle managed to work its way up my throat.

              “I’m sorry.” I told the two men who sat down on either side of me. I quickly gathered my bitties and hugged them close to me. Sparta and Julius nipped me for the hug, but they didn’t even break skin like normal, “This must’ve just ruined your day.”

              “Naadia.” Grillby huffed, nuzzling his head against mine and pressing a gentle kiss to my cheek, “Ssstop thaat.”

              “I agree with Grillby on this one.” Berken patted my back, “I doubt you specifically asked for Babylon to be jumped and injured.”

              “But you two had such nice plans…” I protested quietly, “Speaking of which, feel free to go ahead and continue on with them. I know sitting here with me and the bitties for an hour isn’t the most interesting pastime.”

              Grillby nipped my ear and wrapped an arm around my waist. He tugged me close and tugged my head under his chin.

              “Yeah…” Berken stretched out, “Not going anywhere. Besides, we need to brainstorm which motherfuckers I need to give the boot too _and_ figure out how to get them charged with something.”

              “damn straight…” Copper leaned back against my stomach at Adonis’s concerned prodding. The brassberry huffed and scowled at the wall, “those bastards need to pay for what they did to my son. i’ll rip ‘em apart…”

              “Skin them first.” Sparta advised, moving to sit on Berken’s uncrowded lap. Julius joined her, “That way you can saw through the muscle without flaying them and making more of a mess than necessary.”

              “it’d also hurt more.” Julius chimed in with a dark, sadistic grin.

              “No violence.” I said.

              ” **we can’t respond to violence with more violence?** ” Saphenous cocked his head at me.

              “No. We’re classier than that- crueler too.” I huffed, “I want them completely destroyed, not just briefly tormented. They’ll have to leave Western society to find a job by the time I’m done with them, and they’ll probably be leaving without any spouses or kids because their sudden bankruptcy will ruin those relationships. Jail time would do the trick too….”

              “HIT THEM WHERE IT HURTS AND DON’T STOP HITTING.” Cesar agreed. He still buzzed with dangerous red magic, “NO LESS THAN THOSE HEARTLESS BASTARDS DESERVE….WHO ATTACKS A PREGNANT INDIVIDUAL!?”

              “Sick, twisted individuals with no moral conscience.” Adonis sighed, settling down beside Copper. The brassberry leaned against him for support that Adonis happily gave, “Let’s count our blessings that Babylon and the child are still alive.”

              “Holy shit, I would’ve killed someone if they killed the kid.” Sparta snarled.

              “Bitties are literally smaller than most human babies.” Berken rested his elbow on his thigh to rest his chin on his palm, “It’s sick what lengths people will go to feel a bit powerful.”

              “Sadly, that’s the world we live in. The innocent get trampled on by the wicked and can’t get up unless one of the wicked decides to be merciful.” I leaned closer into Grillby’s warm embrace, “Damn….I’m sorry Copper.”

              “not like you did anything.” Copper mumbled back, “bad luck happens to everybody.”

              “You were supposed to be safe with me.” I argued, wanting to lean forward, but Grillby’s arm around my waist stopped me from moving, “I was supposed to be able to protect you.”

              “you can’t keep an eye on us 24/7 dunce.” Julius’s tongue traced his teeth, “it’d be creepy and annoying if you did. hell, those two probably would’ve ended up in a ring or a breeder site if you hadn’t picked them up.”

              “exactly.” Copper agreed. He pulled back from Adonis’s embrace, blinking, “did i just agree with the soccer ball?”

              “You did.” Adonis chuckled warmly.

              “fucking hell…this is what happens when my kid isn’t around.” Copper buried his face into Adonis’s chest, “my brain goes to shit.”

              “Isn’t that normal for a parent though?” Berken mused, wincing a little when Sparta bit him for trying to pet her, “Oh, so you can use me as a glorified couch, but I can’t get pets?”

              “Fuck off.” Sparta hissed.

              “she’s testy today.” Julius warned.

              “So I can see.” Berken poked Sparta’s cheek. She bit him again, “I’m bleeding now it seems.”

              “Berken…” I reached out and swatted his shoulder, “You’re like a child antagonizing a dog just to get it growl and bite.”

              “I am not.” Berken argued despite the fact he poked Sparta- _again_.

              “ **she’s going to break your finger at this rate.** ” Saphenous warned. Berken wisely chose to not poke Sparta again.

              The rest of the wait had similar conversations as we all tried to pretend that we weren’t sitting on the edge of our seats anticipating that something would go horribly wrong. It felt odd to be in the waiting room with no one else with us, but it wasn’t like the CC was popular to begin with. The whole establishment felt rather…empty in a way, hollow. There was something vital missing from it, and for the life of me, I couldn’t quite put my finger down on what it was.

              “HOW MUCH LONGER DO YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE?” Cesar had reduced his tie to a chewed, torn mess in his anxiety, “IT SHOULDN’T TAKE THIS LONG…”

              “ **calm down.** ” Saphenous nudged Cesar with his foot, sighing impatiently, “ **babylon is also getting limbs attached. that’s delicate work that takes more time to be done right**.”

              “I still can’t believe they can just get new limbs attached in the first place.” Berken commented from where his head was on Grillby’s lap. The bitties had decided to turn the stretched out human into a bed of sorts with most of them collecting on his torso- Sparta and Julius being the exceptions that lingered on his calves, “How amazing would it be if humans had the same ability?”

              “false limbs hurt like hell the first few days, and they never work right.” Copper rolled his false wrist, “they catch easily and ache often if you use them too much.”

              “I see.” Berken opened one of his eyes to look at Copper, “Just your wrist?”

              “two ribs, my knee, and my entire left foot. the ring couldn’t have me out of fighting condition.” Copper scratched at his foot- which upon closer inspection was shade of white lighter than the rest of him- anxiously, “you can’t use them on the spine. if that goes completely, you’re dead.” Copper shrugged.

              “And yet you still continue to worry Babylon and I by not listening to us.” Adonis rubbed a hand up and down Copper’s back lovingly.

              “That’s horrible.” Grillby had finally managed to dig his phone out to enjoy proper communication.

              “i’m injured not-“          

              “-an invalid.” Sparta and Julius finished mockingly for him. Copper threw them off of Berken’s legs as punishment with his magic.

              “-incapable of doing _some_ things.” Copper glared at Adonis, “i can still wipe my own ass and bathe on my own you know.”

              “But what if you slip and hurt yourself further?” Adonis prodded.

              Copper’s more than likely sour response was interrupted by Jarrod coming back into the front.

              “WHERE’S BABYLON?” Cesar snapped.

              “Right here you clingy jackass.” Jarrod rolled his eyes. He looked more dark gray than usual- signaling exhaustion.

              We all stood up and hurried over to the front desk. Babylon rested in a simple nest of  cotton fabric, cradling close his baby.

              The child was…well…a hybrid for sure.

              Much like Babylon, his body was a series of isolated networks fused together by a simple chain of shared genetic magic. Thus, parts of him were bone, parts were flame. Unlike Babylon, he had fragments of bone floating in flames and small pockets of flames bursting through bone segments. A slight tilt of his head showed us that his face was…unique.

              “The boss eye is dead.” Jarrod pointed to one of the four eyes on the babe, “See how the pupil isn’t smooth? Shouldn’t cause him any pain, but it won’t ever work. The defective brassberry eye he got from Babylon is also on the blind side- not as bad though. A corrective lens could help a little. His two grimby eyes are fully functioning though. His patch needs to go on the back of his head. Make sure you clean it well. I’m surprised he actually has all of his limbs in all honesty…”

              “…Dad?” Babylon blearily blinked open one eye.

              “hey kiddo.” Copper immediately placed himself at Babylon’s side. A gentle hand ran through Babylon’s rather dim ‘hair’, “how you feeling?”

              “My arms and leg hurt like hell…like I’ve got glass shards tangoing in them.” Babylon grumbled, burying his face into the top of his son’s hair, “He’s so tiny…”

              “figured he would be….looks strong though.” Copper rubbed his thumb under his son’s eye, “just like his carrier parent huh?” Babylon smiled a little.

              “I’m so glad you’re alright.” I almost sagged against the front desk in relief.

              “You shouldn’t worry us like that kid.” Sparta flicked her mane of red hair over her shoulder, “Almost gave me gray hairs over here.”

              “oi. jarrod-jackass, you gotta have something the kid can take for his pain.” Julius kicked a pen at Jarrod.

              “I’m going. I’m going…you little shit.” Jarrod huffed.

              “BABYLON…” Cesar stood around at his other side. Babylon perked up and smiled at the boss, “YOU’RE ALRIGHT.” We were all shocked when red tears poured down Cesar’s face, “YOU’RE ALRIGHT….”

              “Yeah.” Babylon grunted a little when Cesar tugged him into a hug. A black bone hand came to pat the boss on the back, “I’m alright…hey….You ever think of a name? ‘Cause I still got nothing.” Babylon tried to lighten the mood. Cesar whispered something to him, “Mmm….I think that fits. Narcissus. We can just call him Narci for short.”

              “Narcissus?” Berken raised a brow. I stomped on his foot and glowered at him, “Right. Right. Don’t ruin the happy moment. Invisible duct tape over the mouth…”

              An emergency C-section hadn’t been how I expected the newest member of my bitty family to come about, but I was overjoyed that both of them were safe.

              “ **bab…** ” Saphenous prodded the hybrid, “ **did you know the people who hurt you?** ”

              _Saphenous…_

              “Stevie and a couple of his thugs. Daniella was the ring leader though. They were going to take me to a bitty ring, but I put up too much of a fight.” Babylon answered back honestly.

              Berken and I had our phones in hand within seconds.

              _My wrath has a target now…._

 _…and they’re going to be living in_ hell _for a while after this._


	39. New Resident

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1

              “Rodgers.” I placed my hand down on the woman’s desk. She froze and looked over shoulder at me, eyes wide and uncertain, “Where’s the schedule you were supposed to draw up?”

              “W-What?” Her hands fumbled across the keyboard.

              “The schedule for the workshop we’re doing. Where is it? Berken assigned it to you two days ago and wanted it done today. The workshop is in three days, so it has to be approved today. Where is it?” I raised a brow.

              “I-I thought you were going t-to work on it since you and Berken seem to get alon-“

              “Why would I work on an assignment not given to me?” I raised a brow and leaned forward, “Ah…I know what it is…You think that I’m just going to roll over and let you walk over me like I allowed once upon a time. Well, let me refresh your memory if half of this floor being fired didn’t clue you in: I’m doing _my_ work. If you need assistance, you may ask for it, but I’m not going to be carrying your workload anymore. You have forty minutes to get me that schedule.”

              “B-But I can’t do it in such a short amount of time!” The woman balked.

              “Then get the hell out of this office and don’t come back. We don’t have time to waste on unproductive employees. I’ll inform Berken of your incompetence.” I stood up straight and fixed my tie, “He’ll probably want your desk cleared by the end of the day.”

              “You don’t just get to decide who works and when!” The woman stood up and got in my face, “You’re not my boss!”

              “I am your supervisor though- remember? When dear Stevie was arrested and hauled out of here for bitty abuse, his position was given to me.” I crossed my arms, “My reports dictate who gets to stay and who leaves. I intend to make sure that we’re as productive as we can be. People who assume that someone else will carry their burdens are nothing but a financial waste.” I leaned in closer to her, thoroughly unnerving the woman, “I’m Nadia Nickle Fist unless the old nickname has somehow fled your mind. I fired half of my entire company when it was revealed they spent most of their time sitting on their ass getting nothing done. Sure, my profits took a hit during the hiring phase, but guess what? I tripled my earnings the next year. I’m not afraid to cut dead weight. Don’t forget that.” I smiled at her and left her desk.

              Things had been…interesting after the cops were called on Stevie and his little horde of abusers. Daniella actually thought putting up a physical fight would help, so I got the lovely pleasure of watching her body react to being tazed. The group that assaulted my bitty spat curses at me while proclaiming their innocence. Sadly for them, there was security footage to back up Babylon’s story.

              After we got rid of that stain, Berken did evaluations on every single person working for him. A lot of people got fired once their dirty secrets came out into the light. It was a massive purge of miscreants that left the company shaky. Berken had been hesitant about doing it at first, but he did it after I assured him that I would hold down the fort during the hiring time. The extra work left me with little time to piece myself back together of course. I also didn’t have as much time for Grillby. Still, necessary steps had to be taken in order to protect our business, its reputation, and our own moral consciences.

              “HOW DID IT GO WITH RODGERS?” Cesar questioned me.

              “She didn’t have the schedule. Adonis, pull out the one you drafted. We’ll just have to use it.” I ordered, sitting down at my desk once more, “Copper…you’re glaring. What happened?”

              “these motherfuckers are trying to price gouge us.” Copper glowered at the tablet, “fucking hell…”

              “I’ll take a look at it if you’ll take over typing up this report.” I picked the tablet up and Copper’s eyes glowed faintly as the keys on my keyboard slowly began to sink down under the weight of his magic, “Saphenous? Status report?”

              “ **i can’t find it.** ” Saphenous poked his head out of my bottom most drawer.

              “It has to be in there.” I argued.

              “ **well, it’s not.** ” Saphenous huffed, “ **i just searched this thing top to bottom five times. the receipt isn’t here.** ”

              “Could it have been taken by someone to hurt you?” Adonis asked.

              “Potentially. Track it down Saphenous. Excessive force authorized.” I snapped my fingers. Saphenous glared at me and stabbed me a little, “You can be angry with me when my patience doesn’t feel thinner than a thread Saphenous. We have to get that receipt.”

              “ **yeah, yeah…you’re grumpy when the others aren’t around.** ” Saphenous sighed.

              I glared at him.

              “ **just making my point for me. i’m two more snarky remarks from breaking your leg to make you _have_ to go home.**”

              “Do it.” I raised a brow, “I’ll just stay at my desk and drag myself home.”

              “SHE HAS COME TO WORK DEATHLY ILL BEFORE SAPH. I DOUBT A SIMPLE FLESH WOUND LIKE A BROKEN LEG WOULD STOP HER.” Cesar snorted.

              “she’d just pop some pain pills and keep on trucking, and then adonis would have to carry her home. don’t give my mate more work.” Copper warned.

              Saphenous looked at us like were the dumbest thing he had ever seen before heading off to track down the receipt.

              “Do these people not know how to spell?” I grumbled, continuing to check my e-mail, “I swear….”

              “Miss Nadia, when is the last time you had something to drink?” Adonis questioned me.

              “Two hours, forty minutes, and thirty-three seconds ago. I could go for some coffee right about now- if you don’t mind making me some.” I reached out and rubbed the back of his head. He let out a soft, low purr before nodding. Adonis would grow moody if I didn’t take care of myself properly. Thus, I had to allow him to feed and water me on a regular basis or otherwise face his henpecking wrath- which was something I simply didn’t have the time for. I was doing work meant for twelve people with only myself and eight bitties.

              Babylon and the others were working from home. Narci was relatively healthy despite being premature, but his immune system was rather frail. Jarrod advised me that it would be best for Narci to stay at home with some of the bitties for his magic to emulate the magic around him- essentially strengthening his immune system slowly, but effectively through mimicry. Cesar despised being away from his mate and child. Copper also voiced his disapproval at having to accompany me to work. The two still plowed through stacks of paperwork without too many complaints though.

              _Makes me wonder what Babylon had to say to them to get them to do this._

              My work day didn’t end even when I got back home….well…it wasn’t _supposed_ to.

              Grillby had this lovely ability of being able to sense when I was overdoing and often made a near nuisance of himself until I started taking breaks. I recognized the shoes by my front door immediately and realized that the stacks of work I had brought home with me would more than likely not get done.

              “BABYLON?” Cesar called out, getting down from my arms.

              “Yeah?” Babylon carefully walked with Narci cradled gently in his arms. He still wobbled a bit on the false leg, and pain twisted his smile into a small grimace, “Oh. You’re home.”

              “I DIDN’T MEAN FOR YOU TO GET UP.” Cesar grumbled, “YOU SHOULD BE RESTING. DOESN’T YOUR LEG STILL HURT?”

              “It’s going to hurt no matter what I do Cesar. It’s better that I go ahead and get used to it.” Babylon insisted despite being a sickly shade of lavender.

              “go rest.” Copper ordered as I placed both him and Adonis onto the ground, “i mean it baby. you’re not going to recover if you push yourself too hard too quickly.”

              “He’s right Babylon.” Adonis nodded in agreement, “Your injuries will simply get worse if you don’t allow them enough time to heal. I thought I specifically asked Sparta and Julius to make sure you rested.”

              “oooooooiiii…. _sparta…._ i can’t find the kid!” Julius’s voice came from the bedroom.

              “How the fuck do you lose a kid?” Sparta yelled back, exiting the kitchen, “You fell asleep again didn’t you? Dammit Jul, if this ends up getting our asses-“ Sparta spotted all of us in the living room, “-ah shit…That one was supposed to be sleeping.” She pointed at Babylon.        

              “I see.” Adonis shot Babylon a disapproving look.

              “ **someone’s in trouble.** ” Saphenous slid down from my head to sit on my shoulder.

              “i can’t help it that i haven’t been able to sleep lately. unlike one certain pain in my ass bitty, i haven’t been getting any sleep.” Julius spat out entering the living room as well. He glared at Babylon, “oi, brat. bed. now.”

              “I’m not a dog.” Babylon huffed.

              “then quit acting like a fucking bitch, quit whining, and get yer ass in bed!” Julius barked, “only dumbasses like your dad continuously fuck up their bodies, and last time i checked, you got your intelligence from your carrier’s side of the family.”

              Babylon let out a low, disapproving hiss before reluctantly heading back into the bedroom. Narci- somehow- just watched the whole thing go down with slowly blinking eyes. The infant turned out to be a very, _very_ quiet child. So far, we hadn’t heard him let out anything besides the slightest whimpers whenever he was hungry or uncomfortable. His silence worried us more than a little to say the least.

              “MOTHER, DO YOU MIND IF I JOIN HIM?” Cesar looked up at me while he undid his tie.

              “Go for it. Just don’t give Narci a little sibling.” I kicked off my heels. The distinct sounds of a small rodent scratching around caught my attention, “Saphenous?”

              “ **heard it.** ” His voice took on the low, hissing quality that it always did when he got ready to hunt. Saphenous crept down my body and silently began to stalk the noises.

              “Please don’t make too much of a mess.” Adonis called after him. Saphenous didn’t even respond, “Honestly…” The fireroyal shook his head and looked up at me, “I take it we won’t be working since Grillby is here.”

              “More than likely.” I sighed.

              “Very well then. Copper-“ Adonis scooped up the brassberry before the beaten bitty could protest, “-it is time for you to rest yourself.”

              “hey!’ Copper growled.

              “Hay is for horses.” Adonis reroted.

              “oh fuck you and your cheesy goddamn one liners that you probably dug up from the back of a cereal box.” Copper mumbled to himself petulantly. I could tell that he secretly enjoyed being spoiled by that point. None of his tells were blatantly obvious, but he always tilted his head two more degrees to the right when he was feeling bashful and adored. It was rather cute.

              “Hey.” Sparta kicked my foot, “I got those reports done and sent them to Berken. Pay up.” She held out her hand. I dug around in my pocket and pulled out an old switchblade. It was dull and rusted, but Sparta acted like I had given her the sacred blade, “Hell yeah.”

              “You can summon spears at will. I don’t understand why you’re so fascinated by human metal.” I sighed.

              “Summoning spears takes energy. These things just take skill.” Sparta began to play around with it.

              “careful.” Julius’s magic caught the blade before it could clip Sparta’s face, “you’re going to cut your nose off at this rate.”

              “I’m not that stupid.” Sparta shot back.

              “oh reeeeaaalllyy?” Julius scratched at his cheek. Sparta had a burn scar on the same area of her face which was caused by her deciding that ticking off the fireroyal until he snapped was a _good_ idea.

              “Shut it.” Sparta shoved him playfully. The two began to wrestle.

              “Don’t break the furniture.” I warned them. They were too busy trying to break each other’s arms to pay me much mind, “I’m going to have to replace something aren’t I?” I huffed.

              I was taking off my stockings when I noticed the suitcase and duffle bag by my couch. I blinked at them for a couple of seconds before standing up and entering the kitchen.

              Grillby had his back to the entrance. He deftly cleaned the dishes- wearing thick, long gloves to keep his flames and the water separate. I could see that he was cooking something else while he cleaned up my dishes. Quietly, I walked up to him and slid my arms around his waist. He tensed a little, but calmed down once he felt me nuzzle my face into his shoulder blades.

              I could just feel the high energy stress bleed out of me in that moment. Just feeling his body shift under my arms as he continued to wash the dishes helped me calm down more than I ever could’ve expected. Grillby hummed something under his breath that I recognized to be one of the songs Berken tended to mumble under his breath when he was bored. It made me giggle more than a little.

              “Hello.” I held myself up just a little bit to be able to rest my chin on his shoulder. Grillby leaned his head to the side in order to press a kiss to my temple, “Let me guess….Berken called you?” Grillby hesitated before shaking his head, “Grillby…does this have anything to do with what appears to be all you own currently sitting in my living room?”

              He broke one of my plates.

              “Careful.” I hissed, tugging his hands out of the water, “You could get hurt if the shards slice the gloves open.” Grillby panicked briefly, “Grillby, _Grillby_.” I cupped his face in my hands and brought his forehead to rest against mine. My skin hissed as his flames left first degree burns. He forced himself to calm down, “It’s alright.” I ran my hand through his hair, “It’s okay.”

              Grillby wrapped his arms around my waist and dropped his head onto my shoulder. I tugged him into a hug and rubbed his back soothingly. I really had no idea how to even handle things properly, so I tried my best to guess at what Berken would’ve done in my place. He was superior when it came to handling the emotional side of people.

              “Grillby…did you get evicted?”

              The flame monster reluctantly nodded.

              “Oh Grillby.” I tugged him even closer, “Why?”

              Grillby pulled back from me and took his phone out with one hand.

              “Too many of my neighbors complained about me coming and going late at night because of my work.” Grillby explained, “I was somehow keeping them up apparently. I also couldn’t scrape together enough funds to pay rent…Fuku’s laptop broke, and she needed a new one for college, so I had to get that first. I’m just really in a tight spot right now. I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. I ended up bringing my stuff with me, but I’m trying to find a new apartment right now.”

              “Grillby.” I felt the last of my patience wane, “You’re living with me.” Grillby stared at me dumbly, “I mean it. I’m tired of constantly worrying about whether or not you got shot on your way home. I’m tired of your safety and security constantly being called into question. I’m tired of tensing any time I hear police sirens or ambulances coming and going from your neighborhood.” I rested my hands on his shoulders, “Grillby, I know this is going to sound completely and utterly odd, but you are one of the only two friends I have in this world. You’re also my current lover.

              Now if there’s one thing you need to understand about us Newmore women, it’s that we tend to take care of the people we love whether they like it or not. We worry. We stress. We ask around. We try our best to make sure that short list of people we care about are alright. In short, I don’t give a single fuck about any argument you have at this point. I want you to be safe. I want you to be able to go to sleep without having to worry about one of your neighbors banging on your door at three in the morning after you come home from a late shift. Okay?” My scorched thumbs rubbed against his cheekbones lovingly, “Seriously Grillby. You’re the reason why I need to buy more blonde hair dye at this rate.”

              Grillby stood silently in front of me while he chewed on the things I had said.

              “I like having you around Grillby.” I murmured, “I really do. I love being able to see you after a stressful day at work because you make my day just a little bit brighter, and as you can see-“ I gestured with my eyes at the slight disarray of my apartment, “-I could use someone a bit more stable around at the moment. Please. Just stay with me okay?”

              _Was that enough? Did that get through to you?_

_I don’t want to have to worry about every single person in my life constantly when I can just keep them close enough to protect._

_I already failed Babylon. I don’t want to fail you too Grillby. Please don’t reject this._

_Please._

              “Nadiaa.” Grillby sighed. He was getting better at speaking in human at least, “Aalriigh _t._ ”

              “Thank you.” I kissed his cheek, “Now….what just died in the oven?”

              Grillby’s head whipped around to my oven that looked like someone had set off a smoke bomb in it. My fire alarm also decided to go insane, and the chaos that ensued was both irritating and amusing. My landlord seemed shocked that I actually had a man living with me and looked at my bitties then at Grillby and back and forth a couple of times like someone would do to the boyfriend of a crazy cat lady. In the end, we had to order out and use all of the air freshener in the apartment to try and ward off the stench of burnt fish.

              “You’re staying with us Grillby?” Babylon asked while chewing on a shrimp. Cesar cradled a dozing Narci to his chest. Grillby nodded, “Well…this is going to be interesting.”

              “How are we going to work out the schedule? You can’t be woken up every time he comes back home from work.” Adonis pointed out.

              “Adonis, I stay up until I’m ready to die most nights.” I prodded him with my chopsticks, “Trust me when I say, that once I go to sleep, the mere sounds of Grillby coming back home will do nothing.”

              “pfft…she snores like hell you know. she’s gotta be able to sleep through anything.” Julius continued to scarf down his food. I fought the urge to tug the pillow he was sitting on out from under him.

              _This is going to be an endurance test._

I was under no false illusions.

              Grillby fumbled his chopsticks again.

              _Oh well… at least this one has a worthy prize at the end._


	40. Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> I decided to cut Burned down 10 chapters because I didn't want to drag out the ending. There wasn't any real point to do so. For a more lengthy explanation, check out my tumblr. There's a post somewhere on it addressing it. 
> 
> Anyways, this installment of the B.o.t.M.E.A is done. Thank you so much for your readership. I appreciate every single comment and kudos you've given me during this story, and I look forward to seeing you around next time!

              My twin had to be one of the most infuriating women to have to deal with. Insufferable, smug, and too smart for her own good, Josephine and her darling husband essentially spammed my phone and Grillby’s with puns and jokes about our relationship. It got to the point where I was ready to just block the two idiots, but Grillby laughed at all of it too much for their ‘humor’ to really bother me _that_ much.

              “i swear to god, if these idiots send another fucking pun.” Julius growled, glaring at the phone after it made the noise that indicated Josephine had messaged me again.

              “They do seem quite keen on teasing you Nadia.” Babylon chuckled as Narci walked over to the phone and blinked at it. The young bitty stumbled and tripped, landing on the phone. It lit up and somewhat startled the bitty. Once he realized the light wasn’t going to hurt him, Narci slowly leaned forward until his face pressed against the screen curiously, “Narci, you can’t fall into the image of water…”

              “COME ON.” Cesar sighed and picked the lanky child up. Narci growled softly at his father for being taken away from the phone, flashing his fangs crankily, “OH YES. I’M TRULY TERRIFIED OF BLUNT BABY FANGS. CAN YOU NOT SEE ME TREMBLING IN MY BOOTS?” Cesar rolled his eyes, “YOU WILL NOT BREAK MOTHER’S PHONE AGAIN.”

              “it wasn’t like he meant for it to happen last time.” Copper’s muffled voice barely got through the pile of blankets he was buried under, “you really need to let the kid have some fun you tight ass.”

              “FUN IS GREAT WHEN IT DOESN’T CAUSE PROPERTY DAMAGE.” Cesar held _Narci_ on his hip and tapped the bitty todlder’s nose, “NOW, FROM THE LOOKS OF IT, SOMEONE IS READY FOR HIS NAP TIME.”

              “It is about that time.” Adonis agreed, “Sparta. You’re up to watch Narcissus.”

              “Uuugghh…” Sparta’s head poked out of the desk drawer. Her nose dribbled snot, “ _Really_?”

              “Technically speaking, he can’t get what you have. It’s not his fault you decided jumping into a pot of salt water wouldn’t bother you.” Adonis shrugged, “So yes. _Really_.”

              “Ha.” I snickered a little into my cup of coffee. Sparta glared and threw a blunted spear into my arm that more than likely left a bruise. She took the fussy toddler and began to hum a gruff song that I usually heard after happy hour in bars, “How are our numbers looking Cesar?” I asked, grabbing my phone.

              “BETTER. MUCH BETTER.” Cesar fixed his tie and looked rather proud of himself. He’d been in charge of e-mailing a few companies over the past few days, accidentally sealing a few solid deals for our company, “I’M GOING TO BE TALKING TO CHEN AGAIN IN A FEW MINUTES.”

              “Of course it’s Chen.” Babylon muttered, “Nope. Can’t be the secretary like a normal CEO would use. Uh-uh. Nooo…that removes the ability to flirt with a mated bitty.”

              “BABYLON.” Cesar sighed, realizing that an argument of theirs was about to come back around again, “IT’S NOT LIKE THAT.”

              “Mmmhmm….” Babylon glowered at him.

              “Oh dear.” Adonis hid a smile behind the back of his hand, “I think I’m just going to go work on some reports…”

              “It’s not like that?” Babylon raised a brow. Cesar looked at me to aid.

              _Sorry dear. This is the kind of battle you have to learn to fight on your own._

              I looked down on my phone just barely stopping myself from grinning. Cesar still hadn’t adjusted well to the whole ‘emotional’ aspect of being in a relationship, so watching him stumble around and making mistakes made for excellent entertainment. For some reason, Narci seemed a bit delayed in his physical growth, so- despite being around a month old- he resembled a child instead of a full-fledged adult like Olivia’s triplets. The young bitty didn’t lack for intellectual development though. Narci was the strong and silent type mixed in with a little bit of demented scientist- something my various electronics could attest to.

              I took another sip of my coffee and looked down at my phone.

              **Josephine:** You coming for Thanksgiving?

              _Ah…right…._

              I really hadn’t known what to expect for Thanksgiving. We had always centered the holiday around Grandmother, and she was buried six feet under. Thus, I thought everything was still up in the air.

              **Nadia:** There are plans?

              **Josephine:** Yeah. Gaster’s going to host it at Granny’s

              **Josephine:** Sans claims he can cook, but Olivia and Pap are going to swing by extra early just in case.

              “Curious...” I mumbled, unsure of what to think.

              “What is?”

              _A bell, Berken…or heavier shoes…or something to keep you from terrifying me into burning my throat with hot coffee needs to be added to your person immediately. My throat is not amused at this kind of abuse._

              “Jesse.” I growled under my breath, “What have I begged for you to do?”

              “Ah, sorry Newmore.” Berken laughed and patted my back, “I scuffed my feet a few times, so I thought you heard me.”

              “Mmm…” I let out a noise that made him lean back a little.

              “ **want me to go get you something cold to drink**?” Saphenous yawned, running amused fingers over my jugular as my heartrate settled down.

              “Yes. My throat feels like-“ I bit myself off before I could say something crass. Being around Berken tended to make me forget a bit more of my etiquette training, but we were in the public office area. Vulgarity wasn’t an option, “My throat hurts. I could appreciate some water.”

              Saphenous- eager to have excuse to not be stuck around my desk- climbed down to go get me a water after taking more money than was necessary to purchase a bottle of water. Knowing him, he was more than likely going to get himself something as well. Berken leaned against my desk casually despite all of the people watching him.

              “Anyways.” Berken rapped his knuckles on my desk lightly to get my attention once more, “What’s curious? It’s rare I come in here to find you not drowning in work.”

              “My sister’s father-in-law will be hosting Thanksgiving it seems.” I replied while clearing my throat to lessen the pain a little, “I have no idea how it’s going to go though.”

              “So you’ll be taking time off then?” The gears were already turning in Berken’s head.

              “…I’ll come in the morning the day before, take off the entire day of Thanksgiving, and come back in the afternoon the day after. This isn’t a time for me to drag my feet.” I patted his knee comfortingly, “I won’t completely abandon you to suffer.”

              “Thanks for the reassurance that you’ll be there to fix my mistakes.” He retorted dryly, “Will you be taking Grillby? I heard Fuku’s spending Thanksgiving with some friends of hers.”

              “…” I didn’t answer him.

              “…You forgot about Grillby didn’t you?” Berken crossed his arms.

              “I forgot about having to ask him.” I swatted his knee, “It’s a bit impossible to forget about the flaming monster who sleeps with me on a nightly basis.”

              “Only nightly? So vanilla.” Berken snorted.

              “We have sex whenever the mood strikes.” I clucked my tongue, “Not that you would know much about it since you’re in the middle of a divorce induced dry spell.”

              “Ouch. Going after the divorce already?” Berken clutched a hand to his chest.

              “Yes.” I turned my attention back to my computer, “You give me hell over Edgar, so I believe I’m entitled to the same kind of privilege.”

              “Fair enough.” Berken nodded, “I still need those reports I asked for done before you run off though. In fact, I kind of need them in the next three hours…”

              “I’m on it.” I waved him away, “It should only take me about forty minutes.”

              “That’s ten reports.” Berken pointed out.

              “Ten reports and three bitties helping me write them. We’ll be fine.” I glared at his reflection on my monitor, “Berken, shoo. I have work to do, and you’re simply distracting me at this point.”

              “Well, I know that my presence tends to affect those of a certain persuasion…” Berken’s smug grin made me want to throw something at him.

              “I’m not sharing Grillby quite yet.” I reminded him, “So paws off. I don’t even think he’s noticed you flirting with him.”

              “He probably hasn’t.” Berken let out a soft ‘hm’ of agreement, “You’re surprisingly blasé about Grillby potentially being with more than one person.”

              “Monsters aren’t inherently monogamous.” I shrugged, “Why would I get angry over something like that? Besides, I would have the perfect excuse to throw you out of that expensive helicopter of yours if you ever hurt him.” A couple of our eavesdropping coworkers gasped a little. Berken just laughed, “Now for the last time, shhhoooo.”

              Berken left me to work chuckling.

              _Smug bastard._

              “How do you think Grillby is going to respond Miss Nadia?” Adonis questioned me while beginning to work on one of the reports that needed to get done.

              “I have no idea.” I admitted honestly.

              The whole rest of my day was spent anxiously throwing myself into work and trying to not panic about the situation. It was ridiculous that I could go toe-to-toe with the CEO of a massive company without breaking a sweat, but practically be reduced to hysteria at the idea of asking my relatively new boyfriend to go celebrate Thanksgiving with me. The part of me forging a new connection with my sisters wanted to ask them for their opinions. Then I remembered how much of a dick Josephine would more than likely be and how busy Olivia was with work and Asgore. She, Papyrus, and Asgore planned on purchasing a slightly larger house together to save on spending, so her schedule wasn’t exactly open to listen to me whine about my emotional inability to comprehend and respond to normal situations.

              “…nadia…there’s a pot hole…don’t step in it!” Copper tugged on my hair. I narrowly avoided twisting my ankle in a pot hole, “hey, come down from cloud nine already. you fall down, and we’re all going to be squished.”

              “MOTHER? ARE YOU ALRIGHT?” Cesar looked up at me.

              “ **your heart is beating much too quickly.** ” Saphenous observed, “ **anxious about something?** ”

              “I am…a bit…nervous about asking Grillby to go to Thanksgiving dinner with me. It seems like such a large step.” I chewed on my lip.

              “It’s not like you’re proposing.” Sparta snorted, “Grillby would probably appreciate getting out of the house more often.”

              “Please don’t even joke about that.” My face flushed bright red despite my best efforts from keeping it from doing so, “I’m not certain _I’m_ ready for that step yet. We’ve only been dating for a couple of months…”

              “DIDN’T STOP YOUR SISTERS.”

              “My sisters are romantics.” I huffed, the familiar slight annoyance that they just _got_ their happy endings, “I’m a bit more practical.”

              My bitties all shared looks before laughing at me.

              _Yes. Laugh at the woman who feeds and clothes you…._

              My apartment actually looked presentable. I thought Adonis and I had managed to keep the place relatively clean, but Grillby had quickly proven just how much more could be done. It was almost eerie to see how spotless the whole place was. Cesar left to go dig up some paperwork needed for a project we were working on, and Adonis helped Copper go get situated in a comfortable place.

              “hey, narci.” Julius got the young bitties attention, “i got that show you like to watch recorded. wanna go watch it before your old man gets cranky that i stole his dvr?”

              Narci’s eyes lit up. Sparta laughed and picked him up, nuzzling her face against his.

              “You two are such horrible influences.” Babylon huffed, allowing Saphenous to help him down because his false leg was hurting more than usual.

              “don’t see you doing anything to stop it.” Julius stuck his tongue out at the hybrid.

              “I never said being a horrible influence was necessarily a bad thing.” Babylon shrugged.

              “ **hey. go rest. hot topic reject gets his panties in a twist if you put too much work on that leg.** ” Saphenous poked Babylon’s back.

              “I’m going. I’m going.” Babylon swatted away the blades of Saphenous’s hand before sending a steady, threatening look at the desk drawer duo, “Take care of my son.”

              “We won’t let the rats Saph keeps around eat him.” Sparta promised, “And nothing scary. He tries to crawl into bed with me otherwise.” She made a disgruntled face.

              “You know you like being his protector.” I smirked and kicked off my heels. Sparta stabbed at my foot with one of her spears.

              Noise slowly filled the apartment. Not the annoying, obnoxious kind that the neighbors could complain about, but the softer, truer kind that signaled someone lived in this apartment- multiple someone’s even. My heart warmed a little listening to all of them go about their business.

              After so much time burning bridges, it was nice to have a few still intact. Sure, they were cracked, a bit creaky, and not always stable, but they were there. Humans were never meant to be solitary creatures. No woman was an island….even the local ice queen.

              I’ll skip the boring monologue about “change” and “coming to terms with one’s own self”.

              You were there. You saw my story. You don’t need a recap.

              What I can tell you about without being boring is what came next.

              Grillby napped peacefully in our bedroom, curled around my pillow protectively. He mumbled a few curses in his native tongue, clinging to the pillow even tighter. At first, I thought he was kind of cute like that, but then the furrow of his brow clued me in that he was more than likely having a nightmare. They still plagued him from time to time despite the fact his experiences with humans had been mostly positive the past few months. Then again, the kind of trauma he experienced wouldn’t exactly just fade away with a few sweet kisses and nice friendships.

              “Grillby.” I gently shook his shoulder, “Grillby. It’s okay. You’re not there anymore. You’re here with me.” I ran a hand through his hair gingerly. Slowly but surely, he began to rouse, “Hey there. Glad to see you’re back with me.”

              Grillby blinked up at me a couple of times before dragging his head over to my lap and letting out a slow, pained breath.

              “Same one?” I asked gently. He shook his head, “A new one?” He nodded, “Do you want to talk about it?”

              Reluctantly, Grillby reached out for his phone and typed a response.

              “I had a nightmare that everything just…went away. I was back in the Underground again, only…I couldn’t remember you. I just remembered parts of you- your hair, your eyes…I couldn’t ever piece anything together, and it hurt a lot.” Grillby buried his face into my lap, “I don’t know why I had it. The whole thing was unrealistic really.”

              _Could it be…? From the LOAD?_

              “It does sound quite farfetched.” I agreed, “Even if things were suddenly to reverse, I’d never forget about you.” I kissed the side of his head, “Trying to break the barrier down would be quite the hassle though.”

              Grillby let out a soft chuckle and shook his head. He rolled over to get a proper look at me. His white eyes narrowed a bit as he tried his best to focus on me without his glasses. His hand came up to cup my face gently.

              “Nadia.” He spoke my name without an issue for the first time. His thumb stroked my cheek lovingly, “Thank you.”

              “You don’t have anything to thank me for.” I mumbled, blushing. Grillby grinned at the sight. Deciding to level the playing field a little, I leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. He tensed in shock before relaxing into it.

              “MOTHER. WE HAVE WORK TO DO. PLEASE PLAY BASEBALL WITH GRILLBY LATER.” Cesar clapped his hands to get my attention. Grillby and I startled. Cesar made a point to show that he was staring at the floor instead of us, “HAVE YOU ASKED HIM ABOUT THANKSGIVING?”

              “Thanksgiving?” Grillby asked. We were back to typed responses.

              “Yes. Josephine invited me to Thanksgiving dinner. I wondered if you wanted to come.” I said while he sat up. I handed him his glasses, “Don’t feel like you _have_ to go though. I don’t want you to feel forced into anything. I mean….It is just a simple dinner, but I don’t know if you have plans that day, so-“

              Grillby leaned forward tugged me close. He nuzzled his face into my neck.

              “You’re distracting me.” I grumbled.

              “You’re rambling. I’d love to go.” Grillby ended his text with a series of emojis I couldn’t even begin to comprehend, “Really.”

              “Good. Just understand that means you’ll be dealing with both of my sisters’ teasing.” I warned.

              “Worth it.” Grillby assured me.

              _I’m a very lucky woman._

              Life was a series of bridges coming and going. Some faded away due to erosion. Others blew up spectacularly. Then there were ones like the one I had with my bitties and Grillby: new, small, and still a bit shaky. It would take time to build it up to be strong enough for life’s perils. There wasn’t even a guarantee that my efforts would pay off.

              It would be worth it in the end. I was tired of seeing my family burn. I wanted to see it grow.

              “I love you.” I whispered softly, so low he couldn’t even hear me.

              It didn’t really matter. He’d come to tell it to me soon enough.


End file.
